BA apologises for First Class corpse

British Airways has apologised after First Class passengers on a flight from Delhi awoke to find crew had placed a corpse in their cabin.
Businessman Paul Trinder, 54, had dozed off in his £3000 First Class seat on the flight from Delhi to Heathrow, but awoke to a "commotion" in the darkened cabin.
He then discovered it was the body of an Indian woman in her 70s who had died in economy class and been taken to the front of the plane where there was more room.
A spokesman for BA said that the body was moved to First Class as there was more space, allowing the grieving family as much privacy as possible.
He said: "It is always distressing when there is a death on board a flight.
"Fortunately such events are rare - in the region of ten deaths on board per annum from some 36 million passengers carried per annum.
"On this occasion, the flight was very busy, although there was space in the First Class cabin which allowed the family members travelling with the deceased some level of privacy in their grief.
"We apologise to passengers in the First cabin who were distressed by the situation - our cabin crew were working in difficult circumstances and chose the option that they believed would cause the least disruption.
"Procedures in the event of a death on board are dependent on the specific circumstances.
"However, all actions are governed primarily by issues of safety, for example, the deceased must not be placed in the galley or blocking aisles or exits, and there should be clear space around the deceased.
"The wishes of family or friends travelling with the deceased will always be considered, and account taken of the reactions of other passengers."
19/03/07 This is London, UK

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Categories: Foreign Mar 2007