Given the millions of people who travel by air every day, deaths do happen onboard flights with some frequency. However, British Airways’ handling of a recent incident is leaving many scratching their heads. I’m not sure what exactly to make of this…
Continue reading: British Airways Stores Body In Galley For 13 Hours, Leading To “Foul Smell”
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I’m interested in stories like this. Carry on. It’s part of the wider world or air travel.
Usually the body is left at the seat, covered by a blanket. It cannot be moved. Police and medics attend on arrival. If possible, reseat customers seated adjacent.
Airbus planes can have heated floors in the galleys due to the colder temperature from the doors
I remember Singapore's A345s had a dedicated cupboard for this kind of situation.
Anyone see that cupboard? What’d it look like?
Having worked 40 years in the Industry there has to be a better way. Unfortunately Passengers do get sick onboard and on ocassion pass away like this Female Passenger. There are a limited number of bathrooms onboard and with a flight duration of that length, I think stowing the corpse in a blocked off bathroom would be the BEST solution provided there was some type of plastic liner (heavy duty refuse bag commonly used on International segments to place the body in prior to securing it in the bathroom. With pressurization onboard, no sign of life and no respiration, Without knowing how a corpse would respond over that period of time (13 hours) protective measures would need to be taken for the release of bodily fluids which happens after death. Placing a passenger In a Seat would not be something I would care to do nor would stowing in a Gallery area where food and beverage items are stored for a planeload of people. Diversions are expensive for the Airline. Off loading a corpse and the Family Members is traumatic and disruptive, not to mention the Local Authorities would not just let you do it and proceed On in a timely matter. Unfortunate situation and my heart goes out to the Crew who had to deal with this situation and the Family of the deceased that had to witness it.
Isn’t this what Club Suites were designed for? Shut the door and forget about it…..
From what I understand, lavatories are no longer used to store the deceased as the body enters rigor mortis, which can prevent the emergency services removing the body and thus taking the plane out of service until they can remove parts of the plane's cabin to get the body out.
'Imagine wrapping up a body, and then going back to serving people food and drinks."
It's just another day at the office, Ben.
Agreed, and as aircraft are built with ever more range and flights get longer and longer, it's not a problem that's going away.
Sounds like the flight was absolutely full, so no option to leave in segregated seating. If people could be moved around, maybe the outboard space at rear of cabin where fuselage curves in but not space for seat. I've considered laying here for a nap before......
Think it should be a requirement for all long haul aircraft (distinguished by having a crew rest area?) to carry suitable 'body bags'. Crew rest might seem least of worst places to store, but appreciate access to these is probably impractical in this situation.
Sounds like there should be some ICAO protocol to land at suitable airfield to transfer body to appropriate storage (i.e. basic wooden caskets to be stored at international ports) and stow in cargo hold for completion of flight.
We were on a jfk - Doha flight Qatar.
An elderly gentleman passed away 2 hours after take off
My son who is doctor . And another Dr tried to revive him for an hour - no response - died
They carried him and placed him in the last row of business class - for the remaining 12 hours only 1 row behind us with a blanket - but his face was exposed to appear as if he was sleeping
Terrible
I don't work A350s, but I've worked some 777s (and maybe other Boeing widebodies?) that have "floor heaters" which are vents in the back corners of the galley at about shin level that blow warm air. With the galley cart chillers on, it can get pretty cold back there so I think they help combat that.
Well smooth muscles stop functioning after death (including bladder and bowel), so things tend to get messy, and sometimes smelly.
Who pronounced said person deceased? Usually a doctor or medical examiner needs to confirm biological death
It's pretty obvious in reality. A licensed professional can be called after landing.
Jared, what a pedant you are standing on legal procedure when the average cabin attendant (not to mention most other people with a few brain cells to rub together) is well able to deduce that a person is dead. Here's a few unsubtle clues from the dead pax: not breathing. unresponsive. no heartbeat. no pulse. falling body temp. no apparent objection to being manhandled from seat and laid out on floor for 13 hours. Tell us you're a fool without telling us you're a fool.
If the woman died about an hour would it have not made more sense just to turn back?
The Airlines should have instructed the pilot to turn around and return back to HK or nearest countries
Not treat a deceased like a rag
You can't just unload a body in a random country. The only options are the origin or destination