Vegetarian Allegedly Chokes to Death After Having to ‘Eat Around’ Meat Wrongly Served to Him During Flight

**Vegetarian Passes Away on Flight After Accidentally Served Non-Vegetarian Meal**

An 85-year-old vegetarian, Asoka Jayaweera, met a tragic end during a Qatar Airways flight from Los Angeles to Qatar in August 2023. Jayaweera allegedly passed away after being wrongly served a non-vegetarian meal and instructed to “eat around” the meat. This unfortunate incident has sparked a heated legal battle, as reported in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his son, Surya.

Jayaweera’s ordeal began when he was notified that there were no vegetarian meal options available on the flight. Despite his dietary restrictions, he was served a meal containing meat approximately two and a half hours into the 15-hour journey. When he raised concerns about the dish not aligning with his dietary requirements, he was merely instructed to avoid the meat rather than being provided an alternative.

Following this, Jayaweera started choking on his meal, as outlined in the complaint lodged by his son Surya. Although the exact cause of choking remains unclear, the severity of the situation prompted the flight crew to seek assistance from MedAire, an emergency response service specializing in providing remote medical guidance for in-flight emergencies.

The supervisor person further divulged that despite Jayaweera’s critical condition, the crew was not granted permission for an emergency landing as the plane was allegedly flying over the Arctic Circle/Ocean during the incident. Surya contests this claim, asserting that the aircraft was actually traversing Wisconsin at that time, suggesting that a prompt landing could have potentially averted the tragic outcome.

Despite receiving oxygen on board, Jayaweera’s health rapidly deteriorated, leading to a loss of consciousness. The plane eventually made a landing in Edinburgh, Scotland, eight hours after the distressing episode unfolded. Despite immediate medical attention upon landing, Jayaweera succumbed to aspiration pneumonia, a lung infection triggered by inhaling food or liquid, on August 3, 2023.

In response to this devastating loss, Surya is seeking redress for negligence and wrongful death, aiming for the statutory minimum compensation amount of $128,821, alongside coverage for legal expenses. Referencing the Montreal Convention, which mandates strict liability for personal injury or wrongful death in cases of flight accidents, the lawsuit highlights Qatar Airways’ obligation under these regulations.

People closely involved with the case have reached out to Qatar Airways for a response to the allegations, awaiting a statement from the airline. This distressing incident underscores the importance of ensuring proper catering services that align with passengers’ dietary needs and the significance of prompt emergency responses to mitigate such tragic outcomes during commercial flights.

As investigations continue into this heartrending event, the aviation industry faces renewed scrutiny over in-flight catering practices and passenger safety protocols. The ramifications of this incident extend beyond monetary compensation, prompting reflections on the duty of care owed to passengers and the imperative to uphold stringent safety standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.