Tragic Mid-Flight Incident Highlights Airline Dietary Negligence

An 85-year-old vegetarian passenger tragically died mid-air on a Qatar Airways flight after being served a non-vegetarian meal, despite having pre-ordered a vegetarian option. Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, a retired cardiologist from Southern California, was reportedly advised to "eat around" the meat in the meal provided, Independent reported.

The incident occurred on June 30, 2023, during a 15.5-hour flight from Los Angeles to Colombo. Dr. Jayaweera had specifically requested a vegetarian meal for the long journey, but the airline informed him no vegetarian meals were available. Instead, he received a standard meal containing meat, with instructions to "eat around" the meat portion.

While attempting to follow these instructions, Dr. Jayaweera began and lost consciousness. Flight attendants immediately tried to assist, and remote medical support from MedAire was contacted. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated, and the plane was diverted to Edinburgh, Scotland. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he passed away on August 3, 2023. The official cause of death was aspiration pneumonia, a severe lung infection caused by accidently inhaling food or liquid.

In response, his son, Surya Jayaweera, filed wrongful death lawsuit against Qatar Airways. The suit alleges negligence in meal service and the handling of the medical emergency. It claims the airline failed to honor the pre-ordered vegetarian meal and inadequately responded to Dr. Jayaweera’s critical condition. Surya is seeking $128,821 in damages, representing the statutory minimum under relevant airline liability regulations.

The lawsuit highlights the Montreal Convention, an international treaty that governs airline liability. Both Qatar and the United States are members. According to the complaint, "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." This convention establish a statutory payout limit of around $175,000 for onboard injury or death claims.

The tragedy has sparked scrutiny of airline protocols for dietary restrictions and passenger safety, particularly for elderly travelers. Previous incidents have shown similar risks: British reality star Jack Fowler, who has a severe nut allergy, nearly died after being served a chicken curry containing nuts on a Qatar Airways flight to Dubai. Singapore Airlines has also faced challenges when a shellfish-allergic passenger became critically ill mid-flight, prompting a diversion.

These events underscore the critical importance of accommodating dietary requirements and ensuring rapid, effective medical response during air travel.