The 85-year-old choked on the non-vegetarian food served to him aboard a Los Angeles-Colombo Qatar Airways flight. He was apparently told by the flight crew to eat around the meal.
An 85-year-old vegetarian passengerย named Asoka Jayaweeraย tragically choked and died mid-flight on a Qatar Airways aircraft after being served a non-vegetarian meal, despite pre-ordering a vegetarian option, Independent reported. Jayaweera, a retired cardiologist from Southern California, was instructed by flight staff to “eat around” the meat in the regular meal provided.
The incident occurred on June 30, 2023, aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Los Angeles to Colombo. Jayaweera had specifically requested a vegetarian meal for the 15.5-hour journey, but flight attendants reportedly informed him that no vegetarian meals were available. Instead, he was served a standard non-vegetarian meal and told to avoid the meat.
While attempting to follow the instructions, the manย began choking and lost consciousness. The flight crew tried to assist, and remote medical advisors from MedAire were consulted. Despite their efforts, his condition worsened. The flight eventually landed in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead on August 3, 2023, from aspiration pneumonia, a lung infection caused by accidentally inhaling food or liquid.
Son files lawsuit against Qatar Airways
Jayaweeraโs son, Surya Jayaweera, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Qatar Airways, alleging negligence in meal service and medical response. The lawsuit claims the airline failed to provide the pre-ordered vegetarian meal and did not respond appropriately to the medical emergency. Surya is seeking USD 128,821 in damages, the statutory minimum for negligence and wrongful death.
The complaint also notes that Qatar and the United States are signatories to the Montreal Convention, an international treaty regulating airline liability. Under the convention, Qatar Airways is subject to a statutory payout limit of approximately $175,000 for onboard death and injury claims. The complaint states, “Qatar and the United States are members of the Montreal Convention and as such QATAR is subject to the Convention’s rules and has acquiesced to strict liability for personal injury or wrongful deaths occurring as a result of an accident on an international flight.”
Concerns over airline protocols
The incident has raised serious questions about airline protocols for handling dietary restrictions and passenger care, particularly for elderly travellers. Similar cases have occurred with other airlines. For example, a Singapore Airlines flight from Frankfurt to New York City was diverted to Paris after a 41-year-old woman with a shellfish allergy became severely ill when served shrimp.
This case highlights the importance of strict adherence to pre-ordered meals and medical emergency procedures on international flights.