British Airways is facing scrutiny after a passenger died on a flight from Hong Kong to London Heathrow, and her body was reportedly stored in a galley for over 13 hours. The incident occurred on an Airbus A350-1000, approximately an hour into the long-haul journey.
Rather than divert the flight upon discovering the passenger, a woman in her 60s, had died, the crew continued to Heathrow. Passengers began to notice a “foul smell” emanating from the area around a galley towards the end of the 13-hour flight, according to reports.
A British Airways spokesperson stated, “A customer sadly passed away on board and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time. We are supporting our crew and all procedures were correctly followed.”
Sources familiar with the situation, speaking to The Sun, described a scene of distress among both the deceased woman’s family and the flight crew. Passengers reportedly expressed a desire to return to Hong Kong, but were informed that a passenger death does not automatically trigger an emergency landing.
According to the source, the flight deck initially suggested storing the body in an aircraft lavatory, a proposal that was rejected by cabin crew. The body was then moved to a galley at the rear of the plane and wrapped, where it remained for the duration of the flight. The heated floor of the galley reportedly exacerbated the odor as the journey progressed.
Upon arrival at Heathrow, police boarded the aircraft to investigate, delaying disembarkation for approximately 45 minutes while passengers remained seated.
Deaths on commercial flights are uncommon, according to a 2013 study cited by the BBC, published in the Novel England Journal of Medicine. The study informed current guidance from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regarding in-flight deaths.
IATA guidelines recommend that when a passenger is confirmed deceased, their eyes should be closed and the body placed in a body bag if available. If a body bag is not available, the body should be covered with a blanket up to the neck and moved to a location away from other passengers, if feasible.
Leave a Reply