• An Australian couple detailed a tragic event where another passenger died and was seated next to them for several hours, according to media reports. 
• Airlines have different protocols for managing an in-flight death. 
• An international aviation agency says the deceased person should be moved away from passengers, or returned to their original seat if the plane is full. 

A mid-flight tragedy is raising questions about the protocols for when someone dies on an airplane. 

On a recent Qatar Airways flight, a person tragically died and was placed next to another pair of passengers. Jennifer Colin and Mitchell Ring say they were on an hours-long flight when a woman became ill and collapsed to the ground near their row of seats, Nine.com.au reports.

“Unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” Ring told the Australian outlet. “They tried to wheel her up towards business class, but she was quite a large lady and they couldn’t get her through the aisle.”

The crew reportedly asked them to move over one seat, and placed the deceased person in their original seat, despite the other seats being unoccupied. The passengers said the crew placed blankets over the body, and recalled seeing medical staff pull back the blankets upon landing.

Qatar Airways reviewed the events internally, and determined that all protocols were followed.

“Passengers were accommodated to other seats, and a crew member was sitting at all times with the deceased passenger for the duration of the flight until landing in Doha,” a spokesperson for Qatar Airways told Travel + Leisure. “We have been in direct contact with the family of the deceased as well as other passengers who were directly affected by this difficult situation and have offered emotional support and compensation.”

The airline added that the tragedy is an unfortunate reality of unexpected deaths occurring on aircraft, and their crew is trained to deal with these situations with respect and dignity. 

“After an internal review, it is clear that Qatar Airways cabin crew acted quickly, appropriately and professionally at all times in line with training and industry standard practice,” the spokesperson added to T+L. 

In the aftermath of the news, hundreds of people shared their perspective and confusion on how a deceased passenger could be seated next to other paying customers, when other seats were reportedly available. 

“I simply don’t understand the reasoning behind not allowing a change of seats,” one person shared on Reddit. “If there were no other seats available I suppose someone would have to sit next to the decedent but it sounds like that wasn’t the case.”

That said, aviation experts say that in-flight deaths are not common.

“There’s no good outcome in this scenario for the airline or its customers,” Mike Arnot, head of airline communications firm Juliett Alpha, told T+L. “In-flight deaths are extremely rare—about one per 8 million passengers—but medical emergencies, including overdoses, heart issues, seizures, are more common. Even births which are even more rare than in-flight death.”

International groups have provided frameworks for airlines. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), for example, has specific guidance for carriers to follow in the event of a death on board.

Airline crews are first advised to immediately notify the captain of a person who has been declared dead, or presumed to be dead. Following the notification, crew members are instructed to move the deceased person to an available seat. The specific order of the seat location is first finding a seat that is away from all passengers, and if the plane is full, the passenger should be moved back to their original seat. 

“Take extra care when moving the person and be aware of the difficulty of the situation for companions and onlookers,” the IATA guidance states. (The IATA guidance also mentions covering the deceased individual with blankets, which was followed by the Qatar crew.)

From a passenger rights perspective, there is little documentation for what those on the flight can expect. According to the IATA guidance, in some circumstances on a full flight, the deceased passenger may be moved back to their original seat. 

Within the United States, airlines do not have a specific listed protocol that prevents a deceased passenger from being seated next to other passengers. As an example, American Airlines has a section in its contract of carriage that outlines events beyond their control, citing “force majeure.”  

“If your ticket still has value (if you were, for example, re-accommodated in a different class of service) we’ll refund the unused portion to the original form of payment, but beyond that we are not liable,” American shares on its website.