Home Politics & Debate
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

corpse in first class

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1530572.ece

Do you think he should be compensated?

I think that it was a very unfortunate incident and just really sad..I dont think the BA staff handled it very well by telling him to 'get over it' and providing no other explanation.
«1

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rachael wrote: »
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1530572.ece

    Do you think he should be compensated?

    I think that it was a very unfortunate incident and just really sad..I dont think the BA staff handled it very well by telling him to 'get over it' and providing no other explanation.

    No he shouldn't be compensated. Fucking hell people want money for anything noaways. What were they supposed to do? Stick her body in the luggage? Someone died and he wants compensation? What a wanker.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm rather uneasy with the spin and angle this story has taken in much of the media. Yahoo actually posted it under the 'Funny Odd World' section.

    A woman died in a flight in the presence of her daughter. That is tragic enough and all that should be said about it.

    I don't give a flying fuck if the woman's body was moved to first class and that inconvenienced the very important people who spend thousands of Pounds to fly First so they can be far away from the ghastly commoners. Fuck 'em.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    He paid £3,000 for a plane ticket - economy passengers probably paid about £500.

    I think what happened was sad but first of all the BA staff should have woken him up and maybe moved him to a corner in First Class, not just put a dead person in the seat next to him.

    It sounds like the staff did the best thing to move the family to the most secluded part of the plane but they should have also respected the fact their decision ruined the service they provided to first class passengers, I'm sure I most people don't want to spend 8 hours on a plane surrounded by crying passengers.

    And I do think BA should have offered him perhaps not a refund but another free first class seat on a future trip.

    First class I'm sure on a lot of routes isn't full anyway - my cousin is always getting free upgrades to first class so they can't be that full.

    He paid for a certain level of service and BA didn't deliver .. It wasn't their fault someone died, so I don't think he should get money but it was their decision to move the body and relatives to first class so I think he should get a free flight for another time.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    He paid £3,000 for a plane ticket - economy passengers probably paid about £500.

    I think what happened was sad but first of all the BA staff should have woken him up and maybe moved him to a corner in First Class, not just put a dead person in the seat next to him.

    It sounds like the staff did the best thing to move the family to the most secluded part of the plane but they should have also respected the fact their decision ruined the service they provided to first class passengers, I'm sure I most people don't want to spend 8 hours on a plane surrounded by crying passengers.

    And I do think BA should have offered him perhaps not a refund but another free first class seat on a future trip.

    First class I'm sure on a lot of routes isn't full anyway - my cousin is always getting free upgrades to first class so they can't be that full.

    He paid for a certain level of service and BA didn't deliver .. It wasn't their fault someone died, so I don't think he should get money but it was their decision to move the body and relatives to first class so I think he should get a free flight for another time.

    this sums up what I was thinking really!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just to clarify, the First Class configuration in long haul planes means that you're not usually seated next to anyone else. Each seat has its own space and you would struggle to even touch the edge of the next seat while sitting at yours.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote: »
    Just to clarify, the First Class configuration in long haul planes means that you're not usually seated next to anyone else. Each seat has its own space and you would struggle to even touch the edge of the next seat while sitting at yours.



    According to the BA website they describe first class as ...

    Exclusive surroundings
    Your demi-cabin is your sanctuary in the sky. A discreetly serviced and smartly equipped haven of calm where your wellbeing is catered for.

    http://www.britishairways.com/travel/firstc/public/en_gb

    It don't sound like it was very calm in 1st class - I don't understand what BA's problem is really - they said only about 10 people a year die on planes - give the man a free flight in first class to be used anytime within the next 12 months and be done with it - BA used to advertise itself as the world's favourite airline - haven't heard a good word about it in many years and they're usually one of the most likely airlines to have staff on strike, or cancel flights, etc

    For most service businesses repeat custom is important, for BA it seem to be the opposite. I know loads of people that go out of their way to pay extra for airlines like Virgin because of the service .. I myself would think twice about booking BA if there was another airline at the same sort of price going to where I'd want to go.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    aladdin, you really seem to have a problem with anyone that can aford nice thinga like traveling first class, can i ask why?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    According to the BA website they describe first class as ...

    Exclusive surroundings
    Your demi-cabin is your sanctuary in the sky. A discreetly serviced and smartly equipped haven of calm where your wellbeing is catered for.

    http://www.britishairways.com/travel/firstc/public/en_gb

    It don't sound like it was very calm in 1st class - I don't understand what BA's problem is really - they said only about 10 people a year die on planes - give the man a free flight in first class to be used anytime within the next 12 months and be done with it - BA used to advertise itself as the world's favourite airline - haven't heard a good word about it in many years and they're usually one of the most likely airlines to have staff on strike, or cancel flights, etc

    For most service businesses repeat custom is important, for BA it seem to be the opposite. I know loads of people that go out of their way to pay extra for airlines like Virgin because of the service .. I myself would think twice about booking BA if there was another airline at the same sort of price going to where I'd want to go.
    Oh I don't have a problem with BA giving the man a free return first class ticket. I do object to the apparent outrage that a first class passanger had to put up with it (i.e. it's alright to stick a corpse next to a cattle class passenger or certainly not as 'bad' as doing it to nice people at the front of the plane).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Territt wrote: »
    aladdin, you really seem to have a problem with anyone that can aford nice thinga like traveling first class, can i ask why?
    What on earth makes you think that?

    Read my previous post above.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote: »
    What on earth makes you think that?

    Read my previous post above.
    Aladdin wrote: »
    I don't give a flying fuck if the woman's body was moved to first class and that inconvenienced the very important people who spend thousands of Pounds to fly First so they can be far away from the ghastly commoners. Fuck 'em.

    That makes me think that,

    at the end of the day the person paid a lot of money for a relaxing jorney, he didnt get that so he should get his money back
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote: »
    Oh I don't have a problem with BA giving the man a free return first class ticket. I do object to the apparent outrage that a first class passanger had to put up with it (i.e. it's alright to stick a corpse next to a cattle class passenger or certainly not as 'bad' as doing it to nice people at the front of the plane).


    The way I read that article he didn't seem outraged at all.

    He woke up, looked around and started wondering, .. what's happening here then?? :eek2:

    Then when he realised what's going on he thought to himself "I just paid £3,000+" for this flight too .. :eek2:

    I remember once I was going to go to Planet Hollywood with friends and had prepaid vouchers to go, and then on the day we were due there was an IRA bomb in London and the police, etc were advising people not to go into the city

    So we stayed home, and the vouchers ran out, but I emailed Planet Hollywood explaining the situation and they happily replaced them with new vouchers .. They didn't have to but it was good service for them to do so and I'd be more inclined to go there again in the future.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Territt wrote: »
    That makes me think that,

    at the end of the day the person paid a lot of money for a relaxing jorney, he didnt get that so he should get his money back


    I don't think he should get money back - but another free first class flight upto the value of the trip he paid for BUT if I was a judge and was gonna award money I'd give him what he paid for the flight minus the average cost of the trip paid by an economy passenger

    I think that would be fair :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Territt wrote: »
    That makes me think that,

    at the end of the day the person paid a lot of money for a relaxing jorney, he didnt get that so he should get his money back
    Whereas economy class passengers forfeit their right to a relaxing trip and should take having a corpse literally 3 inches away from them as part of deal, perhaps?

    If the man was distressed BA should offer him a free ticket. But no compensation. But as I said earlier I've no problem with that. I've problem with the emphasis the media appears to be putting on the fact that it was a First Class passenger.

    Some of the brand new large capacity airplanes carry space for a corpse for such eventualities. But the majority of planes do not. The most logical place to put a deceased person is first class. Especially when the daughter of the deceased is in the same flight and understandably distraught by the death of her mother. I find it quite repugnant that the angle many newspapers and news organisations have chosen to focus on is a first class passenger being disturbed by a dead cattle class passenger and his grieving daughter being upgraded to his cabin.

    But that's the kind of wonderful capitalist society we live in, I guess...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Of course he should get money back. He didn't get the service he paid for and that would apply to anyone on that plane.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think people are focussing on the fact he was a first class passenger far too much here....the fact of the matter is that it would be a very traumatic experience being that customer, and whether he paid £300 or £3,000 for his ticket, he should be compensated because not only did the staff make some bad decisions about how they handled the situation, but it was just a very traumatic situation to be involved in, and compensating is just a way for BA to show they recognise this.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    He paid for a service he didn't get, so should get a complimentary ticket or a refund.

    To my understanding the outrage is more at the fact that they moved a problem from one part of the plane into another part and made no effort to look after the passengers from either.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So that's how you get an upgrade :chin:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you know, i always thought they carried body bags on board airplanes?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote: »
    Whereas economy class passengers forfeit their right to a relaxing trip and should take having a corpse literally 3 inches away from them as part of deal, perhaps?.


    Rather then have staff carry a dead body through a crowded plane they could have simply left the women where she was and given the nearest passengers seated to her places in First Class until 1st class was full and moved other passengers to different parts of the plane to give the dead woman as much room as possible.

    I was asked to move inflight once when the plane had a lot of empty seats and one man asked if I minded moving so this sick kid could lay flat along three rows of seats (including mine) - I didn't mind moving.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rather then have staff carry a dead body through a crowded plane they could have simply left the women where she was and given the nearest passengers seated to her places in First Class until 1st class was full and moved other passengers to different parts of the plane to give the dead woman as much room as possible.

    I was asked to move inflight once when the plane had a lot of empty seats and one man asked if I minded moving so this sick kid could lay flat along three rows of seats (including mine) - I didn't mind moving.

    the problem with that is if the plane goes down they worked out who you are by what seat you are in
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rather then have staff carry a dead body through a crowded plane they could have simply left the women where she was and given the nearest passengers seated to her places in First Class until 1st class was full and moved other passengers to different parts of the plane to give the dead woman as much room as possible.

    This is what all other airlines do. Its a lot more dignified than being dragged like a sack of spuds to the front of the aircraft :D

    No matter what BA do, I can guarantee you one thing; they will make a pigs ear of things. Its what they do best.:p

    I can see both points of view of this argument. However the guy in first class did pay ten times the economy fair. If i was paying £3000 for a ticket, I wouldn't be expecting to sit next to a screaming baby. Thats why people pay extra, for better service.

    :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote: »
    Where else are we supposed to put them?

    Toilet? because it's hardly respectful.. and I'm sure someone would want compensation for that because they couldn't use that toilet... :rolleyes:

    he DOES need to get over himself

    :yes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rachie: Yeah...but the natural reaction isn't just to wake up and think "Oh yes....a corpse...la-de-da"...and calmly go back to sleep, is it??

    The natural thing is to wake up, think "shit!! A corpse!!" and freak out a little...you might deal with it semi regularly with your job, but don't forget, it's not a regular occurrence for most!! Don't be so harsh!!! :razz:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The man paid for First Class service - he probably had a worse time on the flight then the economy passengers - therefore if it's no big deal as BA says then they should refund him the difference between first class fare and Economy Fare.

    Probably his only mistake was not asking to be moved out of first class there and then and seeking a refund later.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote: »
    Where else are we supposed to put them?

    Toilet? because it's hardly respectful.. and I'm sure someone would want compensation for that because they couldn't use that toilet... :rolleyes:

    he DOES need to get over himself

    :yes:

    Tbh, there's not much they could have done. No matter where the woman was, she was going to be near someone. It's a plane.

    And I'm pretty sure the family couldn't give a damn about whether they were inconvienincing other passengers. They had just lost a close family member rather suddenly and probably unexpectedly.

    People need to get some compassion for others. He could easily of requested to move seats if it was that much of a inconvience, and I'm sure the airline would have been more than helpful.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nikki* wrote: »
    He could easily of requested to move seats if it was that much of a inconvience, and I'm sure the airline would have been more than helpful.


    I reckon the man was in shock himself ..


    You don't go to sleep on a plane and wake up to find a dead body next to you ..


    It sounds like the man was very considerate and didn't make a fuss on the plane.

    So no idea why BA are making such a huge fuss about the money - they should pay up or give him a free flight - but nope they want to hang on to the money - BA are the greedy ones.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    After seeing a dead body myself I can safely say it is not a nice experience. Putting a corpse next to him and leaving everyone to it was not good. I think they should have explained and at least handled it better. The situation was unavoidable but I dont think telling the man to 'deal with it' is exactly helpful.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    BA are the greedy ones.

    :yes: BA could have just refunded the cost of his ticket and avoided all the negative publicity.

    :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    at the end of the day what was a woman that was near death getting on a plane for?, im assuming the family told the crew when she died that they where expecting it or the plane would have made an emergence landing
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Territt wrote: »
    im assuming the family told the crew when she died that they where expecting it or the plane would have made an emergence landing

    Good point actually. Someone died on a flight I was on, and we had to make an unscheduled landing because of it. The entire plane was checked before we could get off, and then again before we could get back on.

    We were at the beginning of a rather long flight though, even though we'd got 2 other stops scheduled.

    I have no idea if that's an actual procedure though or just the airline we were with.
Sign In or Register to comment.