Travelers all around the world are horrified and devastated by a horrible tragedy after being instructed to “eat around” the meat in a non-vegetarian lunch that was delivered to them. A vegetarian traveler on a Qatar Airways flight reportedly choked to death. Serious concerns regarding airline accountability, passenger safety, and the management of dietary preferences in midair were raised when what started as a straightforward in-flight food request devolved into a terrifying nightmare thousands of feet above the ground.
Family Sues Qatar Airways Over Vegetarian Passenger’s In-Flight Death
After Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, an 85-year-old cardiologist from California, allegedly choked to death while attempting to avoid eating meat in midair, his family has accused Qatar Airways of negligence. On June 23, 2023, Dr. Asoka, a vegetarian, had expressly asked for a meatless meal for his 15-and-a-half-hour flight from Los Angeles to Colombo.
However, his son, Surya Jayaweera, filed a complaint stating that the airline did not provide the vegetarian dinner that was ordered in advance. According to reports, cabin attendants gave the elderly doctor a normal dinner that included meat after informing him that there were no more vegetarian options.
Surya Jayaweera has sued Qatar Airways for wrongful death, claiming that the airline was negligent in both medical response and food delivery. The airline neglected to supply the vegetarian food that Jayaweera had booked in advance and failed to respond properly to his medical situation. In addition, he is requesting the statutory minimum of $128,821 in damages for wrongful death and negligence.
No Landing In An Emergency
According to a recently filed wrongful death complaint acquired by The Independent, the jet was “traveling over the Arctic Circle/Ocean,” which prevented the pilot from making a quick landing to take the 85-year-old to a doctor.
Surya Jayaweera claims that the plane was actually over the Midwest at the time and that a simple diversion would have been possible.
According to the complaint, Jayaweera, a “strict vegetarian,” had been unconscious for almost three and a half hours when the plane finally touched down in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was already too late when he was brought to the hospital. Aspiration pneumonia, an infection brought on by breathing food or fluids into the lungs, claimed Asoka Jayaweera’s life in Edinburgh on August 3, 2023.
The Response Of Qatar Airways
In addition to expressing its sympathies to the family of the deceased, Qatar Airways said it is completely assisting law enforcement in the current investigation. Along with reaffirming its dedication to customer safety, the airline said it is examining internal protocols in an effort to stop future occurrences of this kind.
The incident emphasizes how crucial it is that airlines respect travelers’ dietary requirements, especially for those with medical or religious constraints. It also emphasizes how important it is to have strong medical emergency procedures on long-haul flights.
As the case progresses, it brings up important questions regarding in-flight safety and service accountability, which may encourage airlines all around the world to improve their standards and make sure that tragedies like this never happen again.
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