Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< long haul 747s have a crew compartment in the back of the plane. >>> It's an airline option as to whether that gets installed. Plus, if you're referring to the bunk area that's kind of up in the tail, you have to climb up a ladder to get in there. Not really an easy place to stick a dead body. <<< 747 ... Have you guys ever been on one of these? They are huge. There is a cocktail lounge upstairs, there is an elevator downstairs to a service area, it is kind of hard to believe that they had to stick a corpse next to someone in a first class seat. >>> The days of a cocktail lounge being upstairs are long gone. Most airlines put business class seats up there these days. And, the elevators like everything else in the interior are customer options. For those airlines that put a galley below the main level, do you want them to put a dead body in the food preparation area? <<< Where was the flight at this point? They couldn't have made an emergency landing, unloaded the plane and figure out what to do with the body. >>> Generally speaking, emergency landings are reserved for those situations where an emergency exists. Plus there are all sorts of ramifications for unscheduled stops: not only does it cost the airline a huge amount of money, you will make dozens of passengers miss their onward connections. I think there is some misconception as to what the seating is like. Here's a picture of British Airways int'l First Class seating: <a href="http://www.danciprari.com/images/worldtrip/london/lo-flight-class-british-airways-600.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.danciprari.com/imag es/worldtrip/london/lo-flight-class-british-airways-600.jpg</a> The seats along the wall are singles, so you have windows on one side and the aisle on the other. I suppose the body could have been across the aisle from a passenger. Most of the First Class seats are like this. There are only 4 seats in the first class cabin that are next to each other, in two sets of two (the woman in the picture is in one of them). But notice that there is a divider wall between the seats that can be raised to above eye level for privacy, completely blocking off the adjacent seat. Plus, the seats recline into a completely flat configuration, so a body in a seat with the seat belt fastened isn't going to "fall out" of the seat, lean on or otherwise be near any other passenger in the cabin. This level of privacy and room is why people are willing to pay $10,000 for a ticket. But by its very nature, there's a lot of privacy and personal space in every seat. I think that by the way the original story read and some earlier comments here, people are thinking of much closer quarters, perhaps closer to what domestic first class is like.
Originally Posted By jonvn "do you want them to put a dead body in the food preparation area?" Do I want it placed next to me? yes, it is true the lounges are gone...it's just that the things are really very large, and have a lot of places. I don't see why they had to move the body in the first place, actually. What difference did it make if it bothered people in first class or in economy? Just leave it where it was.
Originally Posted By jonvn ok, spoke way too soon on that. Sorry. Actually, the girl in that picture is cute.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<All I know is, if this ever happens when I'm on Star Tours, I'm marching right down to City Hall...>> I have had it with these crummy stinking tourists on this crummy stinking speeder...
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>by the way the original story read and some earlier comments here, people are thinking of much closer quarters, perhaps closer to what domestic first class is like<< I agree - the first story I read on this (not the one linked in post #1) made it sound like the body was much further from the man in question than this story does. I'm not sure what they mean by "almost next to him", but I imagine it was across the aisle or something like that. It certainly wasn't in the seat next to him. The airline definitely could have handled it better, but I think the woman's daughter deserves a lot more sympathy than the man in this article.
Originally Posted By debtee I think the point the man is trying to make is that BA could have and should have handled this situation very differently. It says he was detained once landed on board to be inteviewed by police. I can say this would have annoyed me very much, after a long haul I just want to get off the plane not wait around for police to interview me, they could have provided a room for him to be interviewed in. This also suggests the body was placed close to him or why interview him? I see this story is more about the fact that BA did not look after this passenger once the flight landed and make amends, they could have avoided all this media attention, as 2oony said it's cost them a lot more in bad publicity!
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle I agree they should have refunded his money, if for no other reason than to avoid the bad publicity! I'm surprised they didn't, being a large organisation like that. But although I think some sort of compensation is fair, I don't really think the crew could have handled the situation much better at the time ... I mean, what could they do?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan They could have distracted everyone by showing a Hugh Grant film. No, on second thought, that wouldn't have helped...
Originally Posted By Ursula Okay, you people are freaking me out. If it were me, there is no way they would place a dead body near me without a loud protest. I'd feel terrible for the family members, but get real. And if it were forced upon me, you better believe they'd want to refund my ticket or do something to placate me. I wonder what TDLFAN has to say about this, and how often has he had this situation?
Originally Posted By avromark Again though perception and reality. Did they cover the body with a blanket? As stated by Trekkerruss how about the lav? How about the other first class passengers if any? Did they complain?
Originally Posted By sherrytodd Thank YOU! I feel very bad for the family, but put a dead person next to me and you'll be dealing with a screaming passenger. You'd have to medicate me to get me on a cross ocean flight with a corpse.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy I can see both sides as well. On the humanitarian side, what's best for the deceased's loved ones on board should of course be done. Yet from a business standpoint, this man did shell out thousands of dollars for a premium experience. If this was the best way to handle the situation, then so be it, but airline professionals shouldn't have phrased their rebuttal to the man in the phrase "Get over it" (if those weren't the exact words though, it was implied that that was a "curt" message imo). If they had been a little more understanding and friendly to him, perhaps he would have been a little more understanding of the situation. However, not everyone handles corpses the same (wow that's a first time for me typing that sentence). My sister and I grew up seeing corpses and it was no big deal (many many many extended family funeral visitation nights back then). But then there are some people like my brother-in-law, who had never seen a corpse before until my sister shoved him in front of our great aunt's open casket without warning, and people like one of my best friends, who won't want to even attend her mom's funeral because she just can't stand that kind of thing. To some it's no big deal, to some it's a major freak-out. But apparently it's not a first class flight amenity.
Originally Posted By avromark <<However, not everyone handles corpses the same (wow that's a first time for me typing that sentence)>> Exactly in my work setting seeing a body bag or dead corpse (Have yet for one to die in front of me, but I've been off by a minute or so). Of course you can offer the family an upgrade to first. In coach you may be dealing with children as well though, as well a hundreds of people is diffferent from a hand full. I'd also assume that people who handle first class should mentally be able to handle a corpse (I would like it draped at least and maybe move all passengers away from if possible) How many lavs are there in first class? Could they do with one less? Does anyone know if there were other first class passengers? How about the flight crews jump seats? Is the cargo hold accessible from the passenger compartment?
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I can relate to the "fear of dead bodies" problem because I had it for the longest time. Then through a series of life situations I was forced to deal with it. After being quite skiddish about dead bodies, I now am able to help move and locate the bodies by hand without the least bit of trepidation. The body is only the vehicle for our motion. A lifeless body is not dangerous or even freaky once you get past it.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy From a Boston morning show covering this story (reporter's opinion): "And the worst is, they move this stiff up to first class, and then the family of the deceased comes up and starts wailing around the body! The guy says he put the earphones in but it was useless, cause they were so loud with their screaming and wailing. I mean, a little privacy here? This is the quiet car. What could the guy do?"
