 "Why Qatar Airways has been accused of killing a ‘strict vegetarian’ flyer with meat in meal")
Qatar Airways has landed in legal trouble after a passenger, who was denied the vegetarian meal he had ordered, died, allegedly choking on a piece of food when forced to “eat around” the meat served to him. The family of the California man travelling on the flight from Los Angeles to Sri Lanka has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the airline.
The incident has come to light recently, raising questions about how airlines handle dietary restrictions and medical emergencies, especially for elderly flyers. This is not an isolated case either.
Let’s take a closer look.
Qatar Airways flyer dies
Asoka Jayaweera, an 85-year-old cardiologist from Southern California, booked a Qatar Airways ticket on June 23, 2023, to travel in August that year from Los Angeles to Colombo, Independent reported, citing the complaint initially filed July 31 in California state court.
On August 1, 2023, Jayaweera boarded the flight at Los Angeles International Airport with a connecting flight from Doha. About two-and-a-half hours into the 15-and-a-half-hour flight, he was offered the onboard meal service.
“Mr Jayaweera was a strict vegetarian and requested a vegetarian meal,” the complaint filed by his son, Surya, said.
But the flight attendant “informed him that there were no vegetarian meals left and that they could only provide him a regular meal with meat and instructed him to ‘eat around’ the meat.”
“While attempting to ‘eat around’ the meat in the meal that he was provided, Asoka Jayaweera began choking shortly thereafter,” the complaint stated. However, it is not clear what he was choking on.
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“At approximately 02:46 UTC (8:16 am IST), Asoka Jayaweera was monitored with an oxygen saturation level of 69 per cent,” the complaint stated.
Oxygen saturation levels below 88 per cent are considered dangerous.
As per the complaint, the flight crew said an emergency landing was not possible at the time as the plane was “travelling over the Arctic Circle/Ocean.”
Jayaweera’s son, however, claimed that the plane was flying over Wisconsin during the incident, arguing that there was time to land for further medical assistance.
The victim lost consciousness at about 07:30 UTC (1 pm IST) “and was administered drugs,” the complaint went on.
“It was not until approximately 11:00 UTC (4.30 pm IST) that the aircraft was brought down in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, and Asoka Jayaweera was transported to the hospital,” the complaint stated.
“Asoka Jayaweera would die in Edinburgh on August 3, 2023, due to aspiration pneumonia,” a lung infection caused by inhaling food or liquid into the lungs.
Jayaweera’s son, Surya, has sued Qatar Airways, seeking damages for negligence and wrongful death at the statutory minimum amount of $128,821 (Rs 1.14 crore), People reported, citing the complaint. He is also seeking funds to cover legal fees.
The lawsuit also noted that Qatar and the United States are members of the international treaty that regulates airline liability.
“Qatar and the United States are members of the Montreal Convention and as such QATAR is subject to the Convention’s rules and has acquiesced to strict liability for personal injury or wrongful deaths occurring as a result of an accident on an international flight,” the complaint said.
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Does Qatar Airways offer veg meals?
Yes.
Qatar Airways offers 19 special meals, of which seven are meat-free. These include a vegan meal; a raw vegetarian meal made of only uncooked fruits and vegetables; a vegetarian lacto-ovo meal; a vegetarian Hindu meal; a vegetarian Jain meal; a vegetarian “Oriental” meal; a children’s vegetarian meal; and a fruit platter, reported Independent.
Similar airline incidents
This was not a standalone incident. Travellers with specific dietary restrictions have faced difficulties mid-flight before.
Last year, British reality star Jack Fowler said he nearly died when flying to Dubai on a Qatar Airways flight after being served a chicken curry containing nuts. He has a severe nut allergy.
This was the second time Fowler ran into such an issue. A year before, he was served ice cream with nuts, also aboard Qatar Airways.
Last October, a Singapore Airlines flight from Frankfurt to New York City was forced to land in Paris when a 41-year-old woman allergic to shellfish became “violently ill” after being served a meal containing shrimp.
With inputs from agencies
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