85-Year-Old Vegetarian Dies After Being Served Non-Veg Meal on Qatar Airways; Family Sues Airline

New Delhi (India) October 9: Despite pre-ordering a vegetarian dinner, Asoka Jayaweera, an 85-year-old vegetarian, unfortunately choked and passed away in mid-flight on a Qatar Airways flight. This is after being served a non-vegetarian meal. Flight attendants told Jayaweera to "eat around" the meat in the standard meal. He was a retired cardiologist from Southern California.

Legal Action in US Court

Surya Jayaweera, Jayaweera's son, has sued Qatar Airways for wrongful death. He claims that the airline was negligent in providing food and responding to medical emergencies. According to the lawsuit, the airline did not supply the vegetarian dinner. It was ordered in advance. The airline failed to react correctly to the medical emergency. 

Surya is asking for USD 128,821 in damages. It is the minimum amount required by law for wrongful death and carelessness.

The complaint states, "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.”

International Aviation Laws

The United States and Qatar are signatories to the Montreal Convention. It is an international agreement governing airline liability. A mandatory reimbursement amount of roughly $175,000 applies to Qatar Airways. It is under the convention for onboard death and injury claims.

Incident Timeline

The event happened on a Qatar Airways flight from Los Angeles to Colombo on June 30, 2023. According to reports, Jayaweera had clearly asked for a vegetarian dinner during the 15.5-hour flight. The flight attendants told him that it was not available. He received a typical non-vegetarian meal instead. The airline asked him not to consume the meat.

The man started choking and passed out while trying to follow the directions. The flight crew made an effort to help. MedAire's remote medical consultants were consulted. They tried, but his condition worsened. He was taken to a hospital after the plane reached Edinburgh, Scotland. He was declared dead on August 3, 2023, from aspiration pneumonia. It is a lung infection brought on by accidentally breathing in food or drinks.

Rising Food Safety Concerns

The complaint was filed as concerns about in-flight food safety and allergy control are becoming increasingly common. In previous years, Qatar Airways has seen similar events. It has received accusations of British reality TV star Jack Fowler. Fowler said that he almost died after being served nuts despite informing the crew of his extreme allergy.

International aviation rules require airlines to provide for dietary and medical needs if they are notified previously. The availability of meals, catering arrangements, and aircraft schedules for long-distance services influence the implementation.