Qatar Airways faces a wrongful death lawsuit after an 85-year-old Hindu doctor died mid-flight when his vegetarian meal request was allegedly ignored

Qatar Airways wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family of Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, an 85-year-old vegetarian Hindu doctor who tragically died on a flight from Los Angeles to Colombo after a distressing in-flight incident.

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According to reports, Dr. Jayaweera had pre-booked a vegetarian meal but was allegedly told by the crew to “eat around” the meat when the special meal was unavailable.

Shortly after eating, he began choking and lost consciousness. Despite efforts by cabin crew to resuscitate him, he later died from complications.

The family’s lawsuit, filed under the Montreal Convention, accuses Qatar Airways of negligence citing failure to provide the requested meal, lack of proper medical aid, and delay in diverting the flight for emergency care.

The claim further alleges that the crew mishandled the situation, showing inadequate training in handling medical crises, particularly involving elderly passengers.

“This was a preventable tragedy,” a family representative said. “Dr. Jayaweera trusted the airline to respect his dietary restrictions and ensure his safety. Both obligations were breached.”

The incident has sparked global outrage and renewed scrutiny of airline protocols surrounding passenger safety, special meal requests, and emergency response procedures.

Qatar Airways has yet to issue an official statement regarding the case.

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The Qatar Airways wrongful death lawsuit underscores growing concerns about how airlines manage in-flight emergencies and the welfare of vulnerable passengers.