Urgent assistance was provided by crew and doctors onboard, but the passenger sadly passed away, according to a Qantas spokesperson. Separately, a British Airways spokesman said a customer sadly passed away on board, and the airline is supporting its crew while confirming all procedures were correctly followed. It remains unclear which airline the woman was flying with, what caused her death, or what specific flight route was involved.
Most airlines follow guidance from the International Air Transport Association on procedures to handle passenger deaths during flights. The IATA guidance states that when a passenger is presumed to have died, their eyes should be closed and their body placed in a body bag if available. If no body bag is available, the body should be covered with a blanket up to the neck and moved, if possible, to a seat or area away from other passengers.
The current status of the coroner's investigation and whether other passengers or crew were affected beyond the assistance provided have not been disclosed.