Overview
- A woman in her 60s died shortly after takeoff on 15 March on flight BA32 from Hong Kong to London, according to the airline.
- Pilots continued the roughly 14-hour flight to Heathrow rather than diverting, with the situation not treated as an in-flight emergency, according to reports.
- Multiple outlets report the body was wrapped and placed in the rear galley for the remainder of the flight, and passengers later complained of a foul smell from that area.
- IATA guidance allows crews to move a deceased person to an isolated seat or another area that does not block aisles or exits, leaving decisions to crew discretion.
- Police met the aircraft on arrival and passengers remained seated for about 45 minutes as checks were carried out, with reports noting distress for the family and some crew.