Air flight distress

In our experience their customer care is abysmal.

The photo is very puzzling .

He is In the foreground. You can see his arms so it’s not a selfie, so there was space for another person to stand on right hand his side and take the picture. So another aisle exit, not trapped.

Then there is a spare seat or maybe two on his left side and then a grey blur.

But beyond the grey blur, in the background there is a coffee/snack area of the kind you get on long haul at the back, to go and help yourself. I can’t make this work in my head. I don’t know any plane where the seats are at a right angle to the back of the plane or where the seats with two aisles face the side of the plane so that you could be photographed side on with the rear snack area in the background.

This photograph is why I didn’t take the initial report seriously and I’m still doubtful. I’d like to hear from the airline.

Paperbackwriter it was a four seats row so I can't see that being a "side" where you would be trapped.
It's almost certainly a central section with an exit both sides.
He would have moved from the "nearest" aisle seat to the one at the other end - also an aisle...

That's what I think.

Sorry to sound macabre, but if the man couldn't get past the dead lady while flying, how was he supposed to get past her once they landed? She would, shall we say, be a lot more difficult to move 5 hours later, surely? I heard this story on the news yesterday. The lady he was with moved to another seat as there were several vacant. I wonder if he could have done too, before they sat the dead woman down, but had stuck it out in the hope of eternal upgrades in future.

If the body was in an aisle seat I certainly insist on being moved. What would happen in an emergency, how would a "trapped" passenger be able to evacuate. Goodness, not allowed to have a bit of a bag under a seat encroaching the aisle and we are expected to believe the crew stuck a large dead body in an aisle seat!

Oh dear.

Apparently the lady collapsed in the aisle and she was too large to move. He was asked if he minded and he said no.

Allsortofbags if I ve read it correctly the lady died in the aisle and wasn’t moved from her seat to another she died walking past the man and lady in question The seated lady moved out the way her husband didn’t but then complained
I may have got it wrong seems a number of different press/news reports I was going by BBC s report

I think the "procedure" was to use the chair with 2 wheels - but it didn't work, Allira because the lady was larger than could be moved down the aisle.

Maybe more airlines will need to come up with other solutions for larger than average passengers?

NotSpaghetti

It was a row of four. I expect it was the sort in the middle of the plane but no real details except that those are the only "four seats" rows I can think of.
The man was one end, then 2 empty seats and then the deceasedlady..

That's what I think

Still not acceptable.

There should be enough cabin crew to be able to move a dead body to the back of the plane and they should have been trained in procedure.

It was a row of four. I expect it was the sort in the middle of the plane but no real details except that those are the only "four seats" rows I can think of.
The man was one end, then 2 empty seats and then the deceasedlady..

That's what I think

One of DH ex students flys for Qatar and is trying to get the crews side of things.

From what is in the media it would appear the cabin crew didn't follow standard procedure.

Very strange to move a body from their seat to place them next to unknown passengers.

Normally cabin crew would look to clear a row of seats, at the back for preference. Even if it means moving passengers to create an empty row to use. Next option is to close off a toilet, not preferred but an option.

If the flight is very full they look for the least disruptive and discreet
option to try and create space around the deceased. Last resort is leave the person in their seat covered.

Just checked with DH that I remembered the procedure from a conversation I'd had with a friend (Director of Cabin Crew Training) so time a go.

So if the Qatar cabin crew really did move a deceased person from their seat to place them next to non related passengers they really got it wrong.

And most alarmingly why didn't those passengers object and look for alternative seats even if they were seated separately. Me I'd be asking for a jump seat if there wasn't a spare seat.

LovesBach

I am at a loss to see how the man was 'forced' to sit next to her when there were empty seats elsewhere. There does seem to be a great deal of conflicting information; the airline could have asked one or two passengers to move, clearing a row of three seats at the back of the cabin. The unfortunate lady could have been covered and had privacy and dignity there.

That would have been the best course of action, the person who had died would have been afforded some dignity and other passengers would not have been caused distress.

The cabin crew were remiss.

I am at a loss to see how the man was 'forced' to sit next to her when there were empty seats elsewhere. There does seem to be a great deal of conflicting information; the airline could have asked one or two passengers to move, clearing a row of three seats at the back of the cabin. The unfortunate lady could have been covered and had privacy and dignity there.

BlueBelle

*Nana8*👍🏼 no I m not at all unempathic (is that a word?) but I just think it’s misplaced and given to the wrong person here
I just feel so sorry for the ladies family seeing her described as ‘too large to move’ and people recoiling at her being near them
The other passengers should just sit quietly and think about the poor lady and her family instead of their discomfort
(crickey I m making it worse I don’t mean you personally Nana8) I ll shut up now before my foot hurts my mouth too much

With respect BlueBelle, your OP asked this question; "A gentleman had to sit next to a dead passenger for a number of hours on a flight how would you feel ?"

... and we told you.

But now you are empathising with the very large lady and her family, a tone that wasn't particularly evident in your initial post which was more about the situation and the way it was handled.

All a bit unfortunate for everyone and a bit of a downer on your holiday.

... and very unfortunate for the woman who died and her family. But that wasn't the focus in your OP - and we are now being chided for not focusing on it!

At the end of the day a recently dead body isn’t going to cause you any harm is it that much different to a live one...

It very much is different. Without going into detail, the process of decomposition starts within minutes and though it might not be immediately evident to the casual observer, most people are aware that the deceased person's muscles loosen immediately after death, with the inevitable consequences.

So could you please (kindly!) stop reproving us for being unsympathetic to the poor woman and her family - I'm sure we are anyway - this was not the focus in your OP. I think most posters, having read it, put themselves in the position of the male passenger who appears to have been forced to sit next to her.

Whether the story is as is being reported is another matter. We've yet to hear from the airline. And we'll have to wait to see what prompted the passenger to go to the press. It's wise to be sceptical.

I would be horrified to sit next to a dead person even two seats apart. I have sat with dying people and held their hands. I have cared for them doing the jobs which would cause another to vomit but the moment they have died, I feel an overwhelming urge to get away. Even when my daughter died, I found the body difficult to look at and it haunts me to this day that I felt such revulsion. I think it is probably a fight or flight reflex which I just can't overcome as much as I know that nothing is going to happen to me.
I don't feel the need to be empathetic to a body, just the living. That's not to say I would want anything to happen to the body, I just feel for the family left behind and the people dealing with it rather than a body which has no capacity to feel emotions.

ThanksJaxjacky my daughter was walking on a beach with her boyfriend when a man threw himself off the cliff above them. His battered body literally fell at their feet. She's a doctor and went into medic mode administering CPR, boyfriend phoned for help and then held man's hand, talking to him although they both thought he was already dead. It was a really sad and distressing event but they both did what they could. That's how decent people behave and no they didn't try to sue the man's estate for the mental stress they had suffered!

Isn't auto correct a wonder 😂

Jaxjacky

I’m with you foxie I said on the first page of this thread that there was no reason to go to the press, it stinks of a chancer after dollars.

There is no me tip of how the press got hold of the event, could have been anyone. Initially the couple refused interviews as they just wanted to get on with their holiday. They have now given an interview, link above. They have praised the crew and given their account of what happened. From that someone on here has deducted they are after compensation, l didn't seduce that. I think it would be good customer relations for Qatar Air to offer some recompense. This thread is rife with misinformation and conjecture.

I’m with you foxie I said on the first page of this thread that there was no reason to go to the press, it stinks of a chancer after dollars.

I think the callous and unempathic comments are aimed at me. Not a problem but my empathy is with the family of the dead woman and although I'm most certainly not lacking in empathy, I don't have any for the man seeking compensation for having to share a row of four seats with a corpse. He didn't ask to be moved, didn't complain at the time and frankly if he were my husband, son or friend I'd be telling him to stop behaving like a complete wimp. I'd be ashamed.
We don't always have control of our situation and having to deal with these things require a bit of inner strength, a good dollop of compassion and the ability to recognise that we're not always the most important person. All sadly lacking in today's world. If sitting two seats away from someone who is dead is the worst thing to happen to this money grubber then he'll have had a charmed life.

Fair enough, BlueBelle I suppose also, had they moved her the whole planeload would have been gawking and realise whereas as it was it was kept low profile. I hope it never happens to me,though.

Nana8👍🏼 no I m not at all unempathic (is that a word?) but I just think it’s misplaced and given to the wrong person here
I just feel so sorry for the ladies family seeing her described as ‘too large to move’ and people recoiling at her being near them
The other passengers should just sit quietly and think about the poor lady and her family instead of their discomfort
(crickey I m making it worse I don’t mean you personally Nana8) I ll shut up now before my foot hurts my mouth too much

There are not always spare seats even in business class.
I flew Qatar last year to NZ and it was fully booked. We were jam packed like sardines. We passed through Business class on our way to our seats. There were fenced cubicles - all busy.

Even if the poor woman could have been moved, that would block the route to the kitchen area so even more passengers would be inconvenienced. I think I might have applied for compensation in those circumstances. The airline must be making a ton of money.

Most unfortunate for all concerned 😟

What a load of tosh, I don’t believe this story one little bit, all airlines will have a procedure for this sort of thing but I’m certain it’s not to put a dead body on an isle seat 🤬🤬🤬🤬