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Dr. Asoka’s Son, Surya Jayaweera, Files a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Qatar Airways
Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, a retired cardiologist from Southern California, unexpectedly passed away on a Qatar Airways flight after eating a non-vegetarian meal. The former doctor had requested a vegetarian meal, but the flight attendant informed him of its unavailability and asked him to eat around a meat-based meal.
Senior Citizen Dies After Eating Non-Veg Meal on Qatar Airways Flight
Dr Asoka Jayaweera was on a 15-hour journey on a Qatar Airways flight. He was offered a non-veg meal after being told that no vegetarian meals were available. Asoka agreed and began eating his food, but soon started choking. The crew from the flight rushed to his help, but his condition worsened quickly.
The flight landed in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Dr Asoka was immediately taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, he was declared dead on 3 August 2023.
Surya Jayaweera Files Complaint Against Qatar Airways
Dr. Asoka Jayaweera's son, Surya Jayaweera, has recently filed a lawsuit against Qatar Airways for showing negligence in meal service. Surya claims that the airline failed to provide a vegetarian meal and did not treat his father’s medical emergency seriously. He is seeking $128,821 for his father’s wrongful death.
The complaint states that, “Qatar and the United States are members of the Montreal Convention and as such QATAR is subject to the Convention's rules and has acquiesced to strict liability for personal injury or wrongful deaths occurring as a result of an accident on an international flight.”
Concerns on Airline Protocols Regarding Dietary Restrictions
The shocking death has raised concerns about the availability of suitable meals on the flight and the inconvenience caused after consuming unsuitable food items. Not to mention that this is not the first time such an incident has taken place.
Jack Fowler, a British reality star who had a nut allergy, faced a similar problem on the flight when he was served a meal containing nuts. He almost died on the flight. He had quite a similar experience on the Qatar Airways flight when he was served ice cream with nuts.
Wrapping It Up
Dr Asoka Jayaweera, a vegetarian passenger at Qatar Airways, ate non-vegetarian food as vegetarian food was not available. After eating it, he choked and was rushed to the hospital after an emergency landing in Edinburgh. His son has recently filed a complaint against Qatar Airways for not treating his father’s emergency appropriately.