Woman dies on QF 2.

[Berlin]

Apparently the Singair A340-500s had such a space, but nobody else specifies it.

Something tells me that some very ‘clever’ media outlet heard of that one example and made it sound as if it’s a standard on most long haul planes.

And, even worse, I fell for it

 

[OZDUCK]

After 2 or 3 years working shifts at Perth Airport I only came across one death. That was a 90 year old who had travelled from Israel and dropped dead as he presented his passport to our officer. My shift supervisor took on the unfortunate task of finding the mans son and bringing him into our office to break the news.

The best "storage" problem I ran across was on a Japanese Tuna boat that pulled into Fremantle with one of its crew members stored in the Fish Freezer. There had been an altercation involving knives during a long trip. The State Police tried their best to get involved but as it had happened on the "high seas" and on a foreign flagged vessel they had no jurisdiction. Cruise liners certainly have purpose built storage on board.

 

[Pushka]

After 2 or 3 years working shifts at Perth Airport I only came across one death. That was a 90 year old who had travelled from Israel and dropped dead as he presented his passport to our officer. My shift supervisor took on the unfortunate task of finding the mans son and bringing him into our office to break the news.

The best "storage" problem I ran across was on a Japanese Tuna boat that pulled into Fremantle with one of its crew members stored in the Fish Freezer. There had been an altercation involving knives during a long trip. The State Police tried their best to get involved but as it had happened on the "high seas" and on a foreign flagged vessel they had no jurisdiction. Cruise liners certainly have purpose built storage on board.

They do indeed. Queen Mary 2 has four from memory. Which love_the_life and I inspected on a ships tour. I think there were 12 deaths on the first trip down under.

 

[Stevo.1702]

Adds a new meaning to "down under"

 

[Strategic Aviation]

I was recently on QF2 when the death of a female passenger occurred a few seats away in business class.

During a stressful and tragic three hours, the Qantas team acted with the utmost professionalism, care and compassion for the passenger, fellow travellers and crew.

After an hour of traumatic and unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate the passenger, police statements and dealing with the morning's event, the cabin crew cleaned up, pulled off their blue medical gloves, donned their jackets and served tea, coffee and croissants to a sombre and weary cabin. It was a stoic effort from a tired team and worthy of commendation.

Tom Baker, Artarmon, NSW

 

[Mermaid]

Very sad for all involved.

I’m just surprised it’s a rare event to be honest. Given the age that people travel at now.

She was my sister's bestie and only 47 years old with a 13 year old son. Absolutely tragic.

 

[I love to travel]

Looking at it slightly differently.

Assuming an average life span of 80, and an even age spread amongst passengers.

Life span is 700,800 hours. Using a flight time of 14 hours, then the odds for any given person on any flight would be .0000199. But you have 500 people, so .009988 of a death. If the aircraft flew one flight per day, then 3.6, per aircraft, per year. So, across the fleet of 12, then you'd be looking at 43 deaths per year.

Obviously, the age spread is not even, so the overall number is lower, but still not an unusual event.

A death won't necessarily result in a diversion either. No point if they have already died.

I must admiit I did wonder why they diverted if the person had already died

 

[serfty]

You'll normally be held on board until the police say you can go. I've never heard of waiting until the body is gone though. That's always been well handled in my experience.

I was waiting at HBA a couple of years ago when the inbound operating aircraft had a PAX pass away midflight.

They boarded emergency services after landing. 15 minutes later they disembarked all other PAX before removing the body; this latter peocess took anoth 30 minutes.

Seemed 'normal' enough but ny flight eventually departed over an hour late.

 

[dajop]

2016 ABS data:

158504 deaths
6.5 deaths per 1000 population

Would expect death rate on board planes to be lower than that, as a lot of people die during an extended illness, or in nursing homes and you wouldn’t expect this group to be travelling.

 

[drron]

Would expect death rate on board planes to be lower than that, as a lot of people die during an extended illness, or in nursing homes and you wouldn’t expect this group to be travelling.

You would be surprised how many do.

 

[jb747]

Adds a new meaning to "down under"

That's when they 'keel haul'.

Would expect death rate on board planes to be lower than that, as a lot of people die during an extended illness, or in nursing homes and you wouldn’t expect this group to be travelling.

True enough, but flying puts its own stress on people, over and above what they normally experience. Of the three people who have died on my flights, only one fell into a category that you might consider likely.

 

[Quickstatus]

Would expect death rate on board planes to be lower than that, as a lot of people die during an extended illness, or in nursing homes and you wouldn’t expect this group to be travelling.

Yes, statistically this is represented as Age specific death rate

For example in 2017
Age 100 and over the death rate is 471 per 1000
65-69 8.7 per 1000
50-54: 2.4 per 1000
40-44: 1.1 per 1000