how to get a free upgrade on british airways...

[the loon]

It seems its possible. Just die on the flight....



LONDON (Reuters) - A passenger in first class woke up to a shock when he found himself sitting near a corpse on a British Airways flight, newspapers reported on Monday.
Paul Trinder, 54, said cabin crew moved the body of the elderly woman from the economy section where she had died after take-off, the Mirror and Sun tabloids said.
"The corpse was strapped into the seat but because of turbulence it kept slipping down on to the floor," Trinder, a businessman, was quoted as saying. "It was horrific. The body had to be wedged in place with lots of pillows."
The woman's daughter was also upgraded and spent the rest of the nine-hour flight from Delhi to London grieving next to her dead mother, the Sun reported.
The Guardian newspaper said the incident happened last week.
British Airways has apologised for any distress suffered, according to the reports. The Mirror quoted BA as saying: "We apologise, but our crew were working in difficult circumstances and chose the option they thought would cause least disruption."
( http://uk.news.yahoo.com/19032007/80-132/man-tells-first-class-flight-corpse.html )

 :roll:

[barnhill4x4]

I used to work for BA and I honestly cannot believe this story.
  THey have plenty of places they could place a body, why they would put it on a passenger seat with other passengers in first class is beyond me. Someone needs the sack after that.

[DarrenG]

Nor why they would continue a 9hr flight when they would normally return to the departure airport!

[datalas]

perhaps it was wearing a crucifix and didn't want to be accused of anti-religious practices again :)

[the loon]

Someone needs the sack after that.

yeah they used the sack to get the body off the plane without drawing any attention to it...its all getting a bit faulty towers.
 :roll:

[hobbit]

Wonder if they had a partial refund on the fair :?

[the loon]

can imagine the stewardess going along the plane....champagne sir....champange madam ....champagne sir.......formaldihide madam #-o

[annabelle]

:?: Hi Barnhill 4x4, I used to be cabin crew - having worked on many aircraft types, I can't think of anywhere else a corpse could be safely and hygenically stowed?  Overhead locker?  jump seat in the flight deck? first class galley?  carefully manipulated into an empty catering trolley?  I think not!

[DarrenG]

But would they really proceed on a 9hr flight?  Surely if the departure airport was closer they would return?    Even using a toilet compartment as storage would be better than a seat adjacent to passengers!

Mind you if rigor mortis set in you'd never get a body out of an economy class seat!

[annabelle]

:) Definately return to departure airport if only a short while into a flight.  I am sure the trauma suffered by the other first class passengers was soothed by a suitable monetary reward.  To be honest not a lot will happen to that dead body, I mean its not going to start decomposing in a matter of hours is it.  Toilets are out, required for joining mile high club, long flight you know!

[DarrenG]

:)  Well I'm off to Dubai in Upper Class soon, can't wait although I hope my neighbour is alive ;)

[barnhill4x4]

747's have an area for flight crew, it has beds there. Surely that would be a better place to put a body, could have used a toilet and why not the first class galley? Surely placing a body in first class on full view of the other passengers is a little stupid. I am not saying that there is an area specificly for storing Dead Bodies but there are more suitable places

[annabelle]

:? Crew are human too and I am sure I would not have liked sharing my rest with a corpse.  Full flight, blocked off toilet, big problem.  First Class galley - all of the catering is there and not a great deal of space.  Were you ground staff Barnhill?

[DarrenG]

747's have an area for flight crew, it has beds there

Some 747's not all.  If the First Class area is anything like most airlines then they'd hardly be sitting next to another passenger anyway as it's all individual booths etc these days.

[annabelle]

:shock: I notice the flight was from Delhi, been there many times, standard routine was take off, meal and toilet, they literally all wanted to go at once, queuing down the aisle!  I had the unfortunate experience of needing to "spend a penny" myself and chose the mid cabin toilet.  Middle of my much needed tinkle and the door bursts open and there I am sitting on the throne in full view of the whole of economy!!

[thermidorthelobster]

But would they really proceed on a 9hr flight?  Surely if the departure airport was closer they would return?

Why would they return?  It's a bit late to do anything for the corpse, and it's going to inconvenience 450 passengers who are now delayed many hours, plus the knock-on effect of the plane being in the wrong place.  And for what benefit?

[the loon]

Even using a toilet compartment as storage would be better than a seat adjacent to passengers!

Toilets :?:
Try explaining that one :!:
Sorry for your loss Sir/Madam now we just need to put your desseased loved one in the toilet for 9 hours.
Ok it seems a "practical" solution but putting someones relatives body in the toilet isnt going to help the relatives grief.

I wouldnt of thought that turning around would be an option but maybe diverting to an airport on route to unload the body and family would seem to be a better solution but again the cost that would be involved isnt going to be worth it when you can pay the effected parties compensation for the disruption.
Yes theres probably somewhere better to place the body but bear in mind the relatives may want to be with there loved one or placing the body in a storage locker/area again you get back to the toilet situation.

In short it all comes down to cash...(1)Fly on and pay possibly a few thousand compensation ..(2)turn back and pay out lots of cash to everyone on board plus extra for airport fees,fuel etc or (3)divert - see option 2 .