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An Australian couple have described their shock and distress after being seated next to a deceased passenger for the final four hours of their Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha.
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were en route to Venice when a fellow passenger collapsed in the aisle near their row. Despite efforts from cabin crew, she could not be revived.
“Unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” Ring told A Current Affair on Channel 9. “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.”
NEW: Australian couple recalls sitting next to a deceased woman for hours on a long-haul flight to Venice
Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Venice
A woman collapsed in the aisle after going to the toilet
Despite efforts from the… pic.twitter.com/ubaZQSW6ja
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) February 25, 2025
After struggling to move the deceased passenger, the crew decided to place the body in the empty seats next to Ring.
“They looked a bit frustrated, then they just looked at me and saw seats were available beside me,” he said. “My wife was on the other side, we were in a row of four. They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes, no problem.’ Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in.”
Colin was able to relocate to a nearby empty seat, but Ring remained beside the deceased passenger for the remainder of the journey. Upon landing in Doha, passengers were asked to stay seated while medical staff and police removed the body.
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The couple say that neither Qatar Airways nor Qantas, through which they booked their flights, have contacted them or offered support.
“We totally understand that we can’t hold the airline responsible for the poor lady’s death, but there has to be a protocol to look after the customers,” Colin said.
After Ring spoke out about the traumatic experience, a Qatar Airways spokesperson apologised for “any inconvenience or distress” caused to the couple, adding that the airline was in the process of reaching out to passengers.
A spokesperson for Qatar Airways has also issued a statement to news.com.au: “First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight,” said the airline. “We apologise for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused, and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures.”