Qatar Airways is currently facing a lawsuit stemming from the death of a passenger who reportedly began to choke while on board one of its international flights—an incident said to have started approximately eight hours before the aircraft ultimately made an emergency landing. The complaint centers on the case of Asoka Jayaweera, who was traveling in August 2023 from Los Angeles to Sri Lanka with a scheduled layover in Doha. The legal action, filed by his son in a California court the previous Friday, claims that the airline’s actions and in-flight management contributed to the tragic outcome.
According to the filing, the fatal episode began roughly two and a half hours after takeoff, during the initial meal service period on what was expected to be a 15-hour transcontinental journey. At that time, Jayaweera—a man described as a “strict vegetarian” adhering closely to dietary restrictions—was informed by flight staff that no vegetarian meals remained available. Instead, the crew allegedly provided him with a standard non-vegetarian entrée and advised him simply to “eat around” the meat portion. The lawsuit asserts that shortly thereafter, Jayaweera began to choke, apparently struggling to breathe.
Cabin crew members, the document states, responded by providing immediate medical assistance in accordance with the airline’s onboard procedures. However, the situation worsened as the flight traversed remote regions including the Arctic Circle and the Atlantic Ocean. Both Jayaweera and his traveling companion, whose name was not disclosed, were allegedly told that diverting the aircraft was not feasible under those environmental and logistical conditions. The complaint highlights this decision as a critical point of contention, arguing that the delay in making an emergency landing represented a severe breach of duty.
The filing goes on to detail that oxygen was administered to Jayaweera in an effort to stabilize his condition. Nevertheless, approximately five hours after the choking episode began, he lost consciousness and failed to regain awareness. Only two and a half hours later—around eight hours after the onset of his distress—the aircraft diverted and landed in Edinburgh, Scotland. Upon landing, medical responders transported him urgently to a local hospital, where he was treated for aspiration pneumonia, a severe infection of the lungs caused by the inhalation of food or foreign material. Despite medical intervention, Jayaweera succumbed to the illness the following day.
The plaintiff, Surya Jayaweera, has initiated the lawsuit under the provisions of the Montreal Convention, an international treaty governing airline liability in cases of passenger injury or death occurring on international flights. Under this legal framework, airlines are held responsible for compensating proven damages up to a limit of 128,821 Special Drawing Rights—an amount equivalent to roughly $175,000. The treaty, however, allows airlines to avoid additional financial liability if they can demonstrate that the event was not a consequence of their negligence or wrongdoing. Surya Jayaweera’s complaint seeks damages exceeding this baseline cap, raising the critical question of why the aircraft continued its transpolar route for eight hours after the medical emergency began, rather than making an earlier unscheduled landing.
As of the time the lawsuit was filed, Qatar Airways had not issued any public statement or formal response to media inquiries regarding the case. The situation has drawn attention not only to the airline’s emergency protocols but also to broader concerns about the adequacy of in-flight medical preparedness and decision-making during long-haul journeys that pass over remote regions where immediate diversion options are limited. The outcome of this case may therefore carry significant implications for industry standards concerning passenger safety, ethical duty of care, and the operational judgment exercised by crews under extreme circumstances.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-airways-sued-over-death-passenger-who-choked-on-board-2025-10
