Passengers on a British Airways flight from Hong Kong to Heathrow endured a 13-hour journey with a deceased woman's body stored in a heated galley, leading to complaints of a foul smell. The woman, in her 60s, died approximately one hour after takeoff on flight BA32, but pilots did not deem the situation an emergency and continued to London.
According to a source, the flight crew discussed options for handling the body, including a request from the flight deck to lock it in a toilet, which was rejected. Instead, the body was wrapped in materials and moved to a rear galley, which had a heated floor that some crew members had overlooked. Towards the end of the flight, passengers began to notice an unpleasant odour.
Upon arrival at Heathrow, police met the aircraft, and passengers were asked to remain seated for about 45 minutes while investigations were conducted. The source praised the crew's actions but noted that some members have since been off work due to trauma.
British Airways stated that "all procedures were correctly followed." Deaths on flights are rare, according to a 2013 study in the New England Journal of Medicine. The International Air Transport Association recommends placing the deceased in a body bag and restraining them in a seat, or covering the body with a blanket if a bag is unavailable.
