Midflight medical emergencies are rare but can be deeply unsettling for those on board.

When tragedy strikes at 30,000 feet, airlines have protocols in place to manage the situation with dignity and care.

However, for one Melbourne couple, what should have been a routine long-haul journey turned into an experience they describe as deeply distressing.

A Melbourne couple recounted their distress after they were seated next to the body of a passenger who died midflight, despite available empty seats elsewhere on the aircraft.

Mitch and Jenny were on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha when a woman collapsed in the aisle beside them and could not be revived.

‘The staff were there in no time, and I pat them on the back, they did a wonderful job trying to revive her,’ Mitch said.

Couple’s shock as passenger dies midflight. Image source: Youtube/A Current Affair

‘It [happened] right beside me in the aisle, and they did everything they could, but unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch.’

Cabin crew attempted to move the deceased passenger to business class using a two-wheeled chair but were unsuccessful.

He shared: ‘They looked a bit frustrated and then they just looked at me and saw seats were available beside me—my wife was on the other side.’

‘We’re in a row of four by ourselves—and they just said to me, “Can you move over, please?”, and I just said, “Yes, no problem,” and then they placed the lady in the chair that I was in.’

Jenny, on the verge of tears during the interview, described the ordeal as ‘traumatising’ and moved to another seat when a fellow passenger offered her a spot in a different row.

According to the International Air Transport Association’s protocol, a deceased passenger should be placed in an empty row if available.

If the flight is full, they should be returned to their original seat with a blanket covering them for dignity.

Mitch and Jenny claimed there were other unoccupied seats, but the crew did not offer them the option to relocate for the remainder of the four-hour journey.

The situation became even more distressing when emergency personnel boarded the aircraft upon landing.

They removed the blankets covering the deceased before passengers had been cleared.

‘They told us in our area to stay in our seats, and then the ambulance officers and the police came in, and then the ambulance officers started pulling the blankets off,’ Mitch recalled.

‘I was there and I got to see her face. Yeah, it wasn’t nice.’

‘I can’t believe they told us to stay. I thought they would have got us out quickly and let the ambulance and the police in there with no other people in there.’

‘But they told us to sit down and wait.’

Qatar Airways confirmed it was investigating the incident.

The airline has been contacted for comment.

The couple’s unsettling experience has sparked debate over how airlines handle medical emergencies midflight.

Watch their full story in the video below.

Source: Youtube/A Current Affair

In a previous story, a disruptive passenger caused chaos in the air for a very different reason.

A heated confrontation over a seatbelt led to major delays and frustration for travellers.

Read more about the incident here.

Key Takeaways

• A Melbourne couple described their distress after being seated next to a deceased passenger on a Qatar Airways flight, despite empty seats being available.
• The woman collapsed in the aisle and could not be revived, with airline staff attempting but failing to move her to business class before placing her in a seat beside Mitch.
• Jenny, describing the ordeal as ‘traumatising,’ moved to another row after a passenger offered her a seat, but the couple claimed the crew did not offer them relocation options for the remainder of the flight.
• Upon landing, emergency personnel removed the blankets covering the deceased before passengers were cleared, further upsetting the couple; Qatar Airways is investigating the incident.

Experiencing a tragedy midflight is something most travellers never expect—let alone being seated beside it.

How do you think airlines should handle situations like this to ensure passenger comfort and dignity? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

 

[IAN3005]

I would demand a refund.... this is typical of QANTAS

 

[katdragon2010]

I would demand a refund.... this is typical of QANTAS

It was Qatar Airlines not Qantas

 

[Suzanne rose]

It was Qatar Airlines not Qantas

It was Qantas who arranged this flight and was responsible for it

 

[Suzanne rose]

I don't understand why there isn't a room or seats at the back left empty for and emergency like this and with at least a curtain.

Unbelievable what the passengers had to go through and the family of the poor woman who passed away.

4 hours is along time to have a body it a chair. Body fluids escape very quickly

First Hour After Death - As muscles relax, sphincters release and allow urine and feces to pass.

Then Over the next couple of hours, rigor mortis spreads to the face and down the chest, abdomen, arms, and legs until it finally reaches the fingers and toes. The jaw needs to be manually closed.

My daughter who is a nurse was telling us how quick this can happen , she was shocked when she had to clean and bag a patient at Bankstown hospital and how quick the man changed colourand went very cold. She is last year student nurse and her and another student nurse was left to do this by themselves.

What these passengers experienced was beyond traumatic

 

[Never eat yellow snow]

I would demand a refund.... this is typical of QANTAS

Demand a refund? Typical response these days. Just tell me how that would make change the situation

 

[elaine41]

It was Qantus who arranged this flight and was responsible for it

Since when is QantAs (not Us) responsible for what happens on another airline? Apart from that, where did you get your information that Qantas arranged this flight (whatever that means)?

 

[mylittletibbies]

I would demand a refund.... this is typical of QANTAS

It wasn't QANTAS, it was QATAR !!

 

[mylittletibbies]

It was Qantus who arranged this flight and was responsible for it

Why would QANTAS arrange a QATAR flight.
The Qatari government own QATAR
Airlines.

 

[Frida1944]

Methinks there is a compensation claim in the offing! I think it's questionable that the cabin crew put a deceased person next to living passengers if there was a row of empty seats available. I think there is a fair bit of hyperbole in this report.

 

[Luckyus]

I don't understand why there isn't a room or seats at the back left empty for and emergency like this and with at least a curtain.

Unbelievable what the passengers had to go through and the family of the poor woman who passed away.

4 hours is along time to have a body it a chair. Body fluids escape very quickly

First Hour After Death - As muscles relax, sphincters release and allow urine and feces to pass.

Then Over the next couple of hours, rigor mortis spreads to the face and down the chest, abdomen, arms, and legs until it finally reaches the fingers and toes. The jaw needs to be manually closed.

My daughter who is a nurse was telling us how quick this can happen , she was shocked when she had to clean and bag a patient at Bankstown hospital. She is last year student nurse and her and another student nurse was left to do this by themselves.

What these passengers experienced was beyond traumatic

I'd be asking for a triple brandy and a clothes peg. for my nose?

 

[magpie1]

If there were empty seats on the flight then why weren't the passengers moved to them instead of having to sit next to a dead body for the remainder of their flight.....If I'd been them I would be demanding to be moved....no excuse.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Why would QANTAS arrange a QATAR flight.
The Qatari government own QATAR
Airlines.

When I saw the interview last night they said both Qantas and Qatar .
I think Qantas has a connection with Qatar. Eg certain flights where Qantas don't fly they then use Qatar

 

[Suzanne rose]

I'd be asking for a triple brandy and a clothes peg. for my nose?

I would need more than a triple brandy and then I would probably start having a conversation with the person.

 

[Luckyus]

I would need more than a triple brandy and then I would probably start having a conversation with the person.

After the first it would be keep em coming?

 

[Suzanne rose]

Since when is QantAs (not Us) responsible for what happens on another airline? Apart from that, where did you get your information that Qantas arranged this flight (whatever that means)?

I didn't say they did, I said when you book a flight with Qantas they sometimes use another airline . Eg my son booked a flight from Sydney to Greece . He booked with Qantas and He flew to Dubai with Qantas then another airline from there.
Qantas was the one who booked the whole flight.

In the interview they mentioned both Qantas and Qatar.

You don't need to be so narky or the spell check police

 

[Luckyus]

I didn't say they did, I said when you book a flight with Qantas they sometimes use another airline . Eg my son booked a flight from Sydney to Greece . He booked with Qantas and He flew to Dubai with Qantas then another airline from there.
Qantas was the one who booked the whole flight.

In the interview they mentioned both Qantas and Qatar.

You don't need to be so narky or the spell check police

You tell em S/r

 

[Suzanne rose]

Since when is QantAs (not Us) responsible for what happens on another airline? Apart from that, where did you get your information that Qantas arranged this flight (whatever that means)?

Did you even watch the interview!! I just re watched it and QANTAS were the one who the couple booked their flights through . And this happened on the QATAR flight which again QANTAS BOOKED

 

[Suzanne rose]

You tell em S/r

I did !! Gosh I hate people who jump at things.
I had to re watch the video to make sure it was Qantas who booked the flights and guess what it was .

Must be a full moon

 

[Viellarde]

I would demand a refund.... this is typical of QANTAS

Except it was QATAR airline. Let's not spread false rumours.