An 85-year-old retired cardiologist, Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, tragically died mid-flight aboard a Qatar Airways aircraft after being served a non-vegetarian meal, despite having pre-ordered a vegetarian option for his long-haul journey.
Incident details
The incident occurred on June 30, 2023, during a flight from Los Angeles to Colombo. Dr. Jayaweera, a vegetarian, had specifically requested a vegetarian meal for the 15.5-hour flight. However, according to reports, a flight attendant informed him that no vegetarian meals were available and instead served a regular non-vegetarian meal, instructing him to “eat around” the meat.
While attempting to follow this instruction, Dr. Jayaweera began choking and lost consciousness. The flight crew attempted to assist, and remote medical advisors from MedAire were consulted. Despite these efforts, his condition worsened, and the plane diverted to Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was rushed to a hospital. He was pronounced dead on August 3, 2023, with the cause of death reported as aspiration pneumonia, a lung infection caused by inhaling food or liquid.
Lawsuit filed
Dr. Jayaweera’s son, Surya Jayaweera, recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Qatar Airways, alleging negligence in meal service and in-flight medical response. The lawsuit claims the airline failed to provide the pre-ordered vegetarian meal and did not respond appropriately to the medical emergency.
The complaint seeks $128,821 in damages, citing the statutory minimum under international law. The lawsuit references the Montreal Convention, an international treaty governing airline liability, noting that Qatar Airways and the US are signatories. Under this convention, airlines face strict liability for personal injury or wrongful deaths occurring onboard international flights, with statutory payout limits of around $175,000.
Broader concerns over dietary restrictions
The case has highlighted concerns regarding airline protocols for passengers with dietary restrictions, especially elderly travellers. Experts emphasize that failing to accommodate specific dietary needs can result in serious health risks during long-haul flights.
This is not an isolated case. In previous incidents, British reality star Jack Fowler, who has a severe nut allergy, nearly died on a Qatar Airways flight after being served chicken curry containing nuts. Similarly, a Singapore Airlines flight was diverted when a passenger suffered a severe allergic reaction after being served shrimp despite having a shellfish allergy.
Conclusion
The tragic death of Dr. Jayaweera underscores the importance of strict adherence to dietary requests and medical safety protocols on flights. Airlines are urged to ensure that passenger dietary needs are respected and that crew are trained to handle medical emergencies efficiently