Air travel: what happens if a passenger dies mid-flight?

The question may seem incongruous, but it does reflect a terrible eventuality: what happens if a person dies on the plane? As with many situations in aviation, there is a protocol, usually set by airlines, to be followed in the event of death on board.

Fortunately, the situation is rare. What happens more often, however, is that the plane is diverted to provide emergency treatment to a traveler.

“If a person is sick, there is first of all the doctor call: if a doctor on board shows up, we ask him for his certificate, of course”, explains Jean, airline pilot and captain for a French airline.

The aircraft is also equipped, to a certain extent, to rescue passengers who are in difficulty. “There is a first aid kit, and an emergency kit (with medication administered on medical advice only) on board, as well as a defibrillator,” said the 60-year-old pilot.

If the passenger’s condition worsens, the staff contacts the SAMU of a Parisian hospital, specifically trained in these issues, which renders its verdict. “If they believe that the situation is serious, we make the decision to divert to nearby land where the patient is likely to be treated, and the hospital, in this sense, advises us”.

But sometimes death comes faster than rescue. “It is very rare, but it happens that passengers die in mid-flight without having had time to divert the plane. For example, it happens that “mules”, people who carry drugs in their intestines, die almost instantly because the substance has exploded”, explains Jean.

What happens in such a scenario? First of all, only a doctor on board can pronounce the death of the passenger, which the SAMU of the hospital on the ground must then confirm. The flight crew, meanwhile, note the time.

And after ? “You have to be very discreet, explains the pilot. There is a shroud in the plane’s emergency kit, in which we will transfer the person, which we then deposit away from the passengers.”

If the plane is not full, the hostesses and stewards can move a few people to free up a row at the back of the plane and store the remains there. “Otherwise, it can be put in a galley, but in such a way that it cannot be seen by other passengers. The situation can be very traumatic for them, but also and especially for the crew who took care of the deceased”, assures Jean.

If the victim is traveling accompanied, a “private” space can be set up for their loved ones, who are supported throughout the rest of the flight by the cabin crew.

Once the aircraft lands at its destination, “we declare the death to the competent authorities”, continues the captain. The station manager, notified in advance, will have organized the evacuation of the remains.

On site, the flight personnel are then taken care of by a psychological unit.

If a corpse generally decomposes after two days, certain odors can occur only a few hours after death. “The shroud generally blocks odors. Afterwards, if the death occurs at the start of a long-haul flight, the problem may possibly arise. But we can’t put the remains in the hold, because we don’t have access to it,” assures Jean.

During his career, this 60-year-old sailor has never experienced a death on board. “Fortunately. But just in case, it is important to know the procedure”, concludes the sailor.