Summary
A couple on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha was forced to sit next to a deceased passenger for four hours after she collapsed and died mid-flight.
The flight crew moved the woman’s body to an empty seat beside them and denied their request to change seats.
Qatar Airways apologized but did not offer the couple support after the incident.
The couple, en route to Venice, criticized the airline’s handling of the situation but are trying to continue their trip despite the distressing experience.
Flying from Melbourne to Doha is almost entirely over the ocean.
With 4 hours left in a 13h flight, they were probably near Sri Lanka but the Colombo airport is one of the busiest in South Asia, and as you say, it’s a huge hassle to divert.