A horrific mid-air death turned a long-haul flight into what some call a nightmare at 35,000 feet.
A passenger in her 60s died during the first hour of a British Airways flight from Hong Kong to London, but the plane continued on, leaving her body stored in a heated galley for more than 13 hours, according to reports.
The doomed journey, flight BA32, continued to Heathrow instead of returning; a decision that sources say reflects the grim reality that once a passenger has already passed, “it is not considered an emergency.”
The crew members were left wondering what to do with the body in mid-flight.
A source told The Sun: “The woman’s family were obviously distraught, as were the team.
“Many wanted to return to Hong Kong. But, to put it bluntly, if a passenger has already died, that is not considered an emergency.”
A suggestion to place the deceased in a bathroom was rejected, forcing staff to wrap the body and move it to a back kitchen, not realizing that the area had a heated floor, which allegedly made conditions worse as the hours passed.
As the Airbus A350-1000 began its descent, passengers and crew noticed a foul odor wafting from the rear of the plane, adding to the distress on board.
The situation did not end with the landing.
Police met the plane at Heathrow and ordered the 331 passengers to remain seated for approximately 45 minutes while authorities investigated the death on board.
While no formal complaints were filed, the ordeal reportedly shook the crew members, some of whom took time to recover from the trauma.
In a statement, British Airways reportedly told The Sun that “all procedures were followed correctly,” noting that there is no single protocol for handling airborne deaths.
“Our thoughts are with the woman’s friends and family.”
Still, for those on board, it was a flight they won’t soon forget.