A lawsuit filed against Qatar Airways in the United States has brought renewed attention to special meal services and medical intervention protocols on international flights.
Eighty-five-year-old Southern California passenger Asoka Jayaweera died from complications after allegedly being mistakenly served a meat-based meal during his long-haul flight from Los Angeles to Colombo. A strict vegetarian, Jayaweera’s family has filed a lawsuit against Qatar Airways, accusing the airline of “negligence” and “wrongful death.”
Wrong Meal Service Ends in Death
The lawsuit claims Qatar Airways failed to provide the vegetarian meal that had been pre-ordered, and instead, crew members advised the passenger to “eat around the meat.”
While eating, Jayaweera began choking and suffered respiratory failure, losing consciousness shortly thereafter.
Although the flight crew attempted to intervene under remote guidance from MedAire, the passenger’s condition continued to deteriorate. Reports indicate Jayaweera’s oxygen saturation dropped to 69%, and the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Edinburgh, Scotland, after he remained unresponsive for three hours.
Debate Over Delay in Route Diversion
Court documents allege that the flight crew initially stated a diversion was impossible because the aircraft was “over the Arctic Ocean,” whereas it was in fact flying over the U.S. Midwest.
The plaintiffs argue that the delay in initiating a diversion directly contributed to the fatal outcome.
Cause of Death: Aspiration Pneumonia
According to the medical report, Jayaweera died from “aspiration pneumonia,” a condition caused by inhaling food or liquid into the lungs. The condition is believed to have resulted from the combination of the meal error and delayed medical response.
Qatar Airways Silent
Qatar Airways has not yet issued an official public statement regarding the incident.
The airline currently offers 19 types of special meals, including seven meat-free or religiously compliant options. However, in recent years, the carrier has reportedly faced several complaints about mislabelled meals and incidents linked to food allergies.
International Legal Proceedings
The case is being assessed under the Montreal Convention. As both Qatar and the U.S. are signatories to the agreement, Qatar Airways faces a compensation limit of approximately USD 175,000 for injury or death claims. However, the victim’s son, Surya Jayaweera, is seeking damages exceeding that cap, including legal and court expenses.
Precedent for the Aviation Industry
This case could set a precedent for how special dietary meals are prepared, how in-flight medical emergencies are managed, and how real-time guidance systems are utilised by cabin crews during crises.
Experts say the incident serves as a stark warning to airlines that “protocol errors in special meal services can have severe consequences.”
