World

Airline Partially Reimburses Woman After Overnight Flight Next to Dead Passenger

Swedish Lena Pettersson Reimbursed by Kenya Airways After Man Died Midway Through Flight to Tanzania

(Photo: The Boeing Company/AP)

Lena Pettersson, a reporter for Radio Sweden, has been partially reimbursed for her $1,400 flight to Tanzania after a man across the aisle died mid-way through the flight, and she was unable to change seats.

(Related: Woman Allegedly Finds Live Maggots in Nut Mix on Flight Out of LAX)

While much is being made of Pettersson’s ordeal, not much has been reported about the poor man who died en route to Dar es Salaam.  Pettersson said he appeared to be in his mid-thirties and was “sweating and had seizures” when she boarded the plane in Amsterdam.

“Air hostesses were there all along, but the plane took off anyway,” she said.

Swedish Lena Pettersson Reimbursed by Kenya Airways After Man Died Midway Through Flight to Tanzania

(Photo via the Daily Mail)

A few hours into the overnight flight he died, despite efforts by the crew and other passengers to revive him, reports say.

“I asked to move, but they said there were no other places,” Pettersson explained.  “Of course it was unpleasant, but I am not a person who makes a fuss.”

Seemingly unsure of what to do with the man, flight attendants wrapped him in a blanket and laid him across a set of seats, with Pattersson across the aisle.  Because he was tall, his feet jutted into the aisle, and were allegedly only a few inches from her.

She feels “much better” now that the airline has given her a little over $700.  “It is reasonable,” she concluded, according to the New York Daily News.

Comments (68)

  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:52pm

    …
    This man was sweating and having seizures BEFORE the plane took off. An ambulance should have been called and the man taken to the hospital. If he had received medical treatment before the plane took off, he might have lived.

    Why do passenger planes not have a special place to put sick or DEAD travelers, once in the air? It should be mandatory.

    Report Post »  
    • TheLeftMadeMeRight
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:49pm

      What? Like a hatch in the floor? Do you want it to go into the cargo compartment or all the way through the bottom??? That would be a bomb bay…

      Report Post » TheLeftMadeMeRight  
  • Guitar Master
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:14pm

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    From THE REPORTER
    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Has anyone checked his birth certificate?

    Report Post »  
  • fobama
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:36am

    Obama’s home town air line, no way, everything is on the up an up, you people are crazy!

    Report Post » fobama  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:04pm

      This deadman wouldn’t vote for Obama! So we back-send him!

      Report Post »  
  • Baja
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:21am

    Deadheading crew member?

    Report Post » Baja  
  • Beyondculturewars
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:15am

    It saddens me to think that noone prayed for this man’s soul, even those closest to him during death.

    Report Post »  
    • SamIamTwo
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:36am

      If he was dead, there is no reason to pray for his soul…you can‘t pray for soul of a dead person as that person is kneeling at the folds of God’s robe as soon as he dies. Should have prayed for him when he was alive.

      Report Post » SamIamTwo  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:07pm

      Dead means he’s buisy makeing 1,000-NON-vergins!!

      Report Post »  
    • Gumbercules
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:06pm

      @Beyondculturewars
      HA! I appreciate your pun.

      Report Post » Gumbercules  
  • thegreatcarnac
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:10am

    What do you expect from Air Kenya.? The guy probably just came out of the jungle…put on a suit…and was flying to meet with obama when he got the dinga dinga fever.

    Report Post »  
  • EP46
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:45am

    I am aware of flights that have turned back or made emergency landings due to medical emergencies. Could his life been saved if he had received medical treatment at the first signs of distress ?

    Report Post »  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:41am

      from the reporting it sounds that way to me too. why on earth would they not do something about a 30 something year old man having seizures. that huge change in pressure isn’t good for an epileptic they should never have taken off with him in this condition and last time I checked, helping someone having seizures is not that hard especially if they are a known epileptic you find their meds asap. this is just sad I could care less about this lady a 30yr old man dying on the plane is what the story is.

      Report Post »  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:44am

      oh and yes I fly with valium which treats seizures I find it hard to believe not one person on this plane had a pocket full of benzodiazepams and did not slip this poor man a few to stop the seizure before he died. who knows though sometimes people can have seizures from a pulmonary embolism which could have happened from a blood clot either way I am just mad no one turned this plane around.

      Report Post »  
  • MRMANN
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:40am

    Yet another reason for me to curttail flying.

    Report Post »  
    • johnpaulkuchtajr
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:53am

      Swedes helped settle this country and gave a good account of themselves as loggers, farmers and in the professions.

      Too bad that Muslims are taking Sweden away from Swedes. Listen and learn America, listen and learn.

      Report Post »  
  • TruthPolice60
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:52am

    Allow me to decompose my thoughts for a moment… Not sure how I feel about it. He was probably a better neighbor than somebody coughing and sneezing all over her. I think I’d rather sit next to him than Barack Obama. The dead guy would be more interesting and certainly more credible.

    Report Post »  
    • NEWSTALKER
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 4:17am

      If the crew was aware of his symptoms before takeoff, then that would be morally wrong. As far as receiving money back from the airlines over “An Act of God” (or Nature, if youre atheist), I wouldnt agree to the airlines promising “No Deaths or You Money Back Policy” in the flight that you paid for to travel because that is out of everyone’s control, including the airlines…Do they do that if someone throws up on you? Nope…I say that its just unfortunate and leave it at that…aside from that, why wasnt everyone thinking about how his death might affect his loved ones instead of being so insensitive…Society has lost a sense of valuing life…

      Report Post »  
    • Plan B
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:31am

      My husband and I were in a movie theater and a man two rows down had a heart attack. The theater closed the doors and locked us all in. He had been there with his wife and daughter. Watching them with their numb reaction to theevents going on was absolutely horrifying. The theater locked the doors. We could not leave our seats. An ambulance parked outside the emergency exit. They used the paddles on the man and trached him right there. I am pretty sure he was not breathing when then finally took him out of the theater, and his wife and daughter were in shock, neither one of them had shed a tear. They were just going tthrough the motion, not knowing how to react. I cried and cried watching this man die and being locked in. feeling such horror for the family having to endure all of this in such a public way. The whole event lasted about 45 minutes before they took him out and allowed us to leave. We asked one time for our money back and the theater said this was an act of God and they would not reimburse us. No Problem, we just left. Not too interested in seeing a movie.

      Report Post »  
    • NEWSTALKER
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:40am

      Thats very sad that you had to see that first hand along with all of the others. In your case as to where you where there to watch entertainment and being that is the full purpose of you paying, they should have refunded the money. Traveling though is very different in its purpose, where the airline arrived at the destination as its purpose, unfortunately along with someone that passed away. In my own personal opinion, that theater probably should have either given you new ticket (vouchers) or refunded the money because it failed to deliver a fair trade (of purpose). I realize that it was out of the control of the theater that someone suffered a heart attack and that they worked on saving a life in the theater, which took a far more priority than what everyone paid for (movie) along with time..an absolute interruption for the point of being there, but for good business as well if I were a company associate, I would have recommended a refund. Sorry for your experience and I do hope that he survived.

      Report Post »  
  • saintjock
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:25am

    zombie apocolypse has to start some how, please God no zombies. that would really suck to deal with.

    Report Post » saintjock  
    • Iron_Wyll
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:09am

      We already have Zombies! They are called Democrats. Don’t you recall the zombie protests staged by the Dems?

      Report Post » Iron_Wyll  
    • Jeffrey777
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:57am

      He didn’t eat anyones face during that flight, so thats.a good sign.

      Report Post »  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:13pm

      As in the “original” STARTREK….how many times and ways can you say…”HE’S DEAD..Jim!”.

      Report Post »  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:03am

    Nobody else died — Mission accomplished! A – but only because the airline did not have a Morgue on board!

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • lassiegirldawn
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:29am

    My question is what did he die from? He could be a terrorist trying to infect people with some kind of virus. That would worry me more than getting my money back.

    Report Post »  
    • JACKTHETOAD
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:17am

      From the land of ebola. (5 cases of THE PLAGUE reported in the Pacific Northwest.) The Microbes hold much sway. :(

      Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:17pm

    He was having seizures and they took off anyways? Here, you so much as sneeze and it’s back to the terminal…

    Report Post » KickinBack  
    • majorsco
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:31pm

      When my wife was only 5 months pregnant with our son, we were in Cebu Philippines and just because she was pregnant with no health issues, she had to be seen by the Philippine Airlines on staff doctor before she was allowed to board the plane. While I thought that it was too much, at least some airlines actually have the well being of passengers at heart. This man who passed away should have been seen by the airport doctor or his own and not be allowed to fly without it. Maybe that would have saved his life if the airline cared more about the passengers!

      Report Post »  
  • Dougral Supports Israel
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:04pm

    I don’t think I would have thought to ask for a refund. Neither the airline nor the dead guy planned things that way.

    Report Post »  
  • Teapartywoman
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:45pm

    believe it’s Andrew Wilkow who says: “I carry a gun, because a policeman is too heavy”.

    I hope they throw the creep who attacked her the can for a long time. Just wait til bubba slaps his butt.

    they throw the creep who attacked her the can for a long time. Just wait til bubba slaps his butt.

    Report Post » Teapartywoman  
  • EnigmanDen
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:45pm

    I’m not sure why she needed to be reimbursed… She made it to her destination safely and this poor guy didn’t bother her for the flight…

    Report Post »  
    • lukerw
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:45pm

      Never been confined with a person that just died… eh?

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:32pm

    Screw the money. I would have wanted to know what he died of, and if it was contagious. As for the body, if their where multiple restrooms aboard, it should have been stored in one, if there was not access to the baggage area from inside.

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:40pm

      You got that right RJJ.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:43pm

      THE-MONK, What’s up tonight. I am a little slow getting to some of these stories tonight. I couldn’t miss Falling Skies. Just an old science fiction fan I guess.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • Salamander
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:44pm

      Stick him in the fridge?

      Report Post »  
    • hi
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:58pm

      Anyone with a fever should not be allowed on the plane! Excessive fever can cause seizures. She said he was like that when she boarded. I hope no one else gets it.

      Report Post » hi  
    • TheBurningTruth
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:12pm

      There’s always the jump-seat in the cockpit. That might encourage the crew to take more care in who/what they’re boarding.

      Report Post » TheBurningTruth  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:13pm

      Hi RJJ,

      I’m an old sci-fi fan from way back so I understand. : )

      It’s been raining here for 2 days straight and “they” predict rain until Thursday.

      I guess you didn’t get my reply from Friday. I came up with a new theory about what happened in the Fast and Furious case, sent it to the GB team, they replied in minutes, we went back and forth until we nailed it down, they sent it to a Congressman yesterday and I got a reply back this morning (from the GB team) that the Congressman thought my idea was so good that they are going to investigate it. If my Monk senses are right this F&F case is about to take a completely new direction. I can’t say more at present.

      How goes it with you tonight?

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:31pm

      Hi Monk, doing okay I guess. about to walk the dog for the last time tonight unless she wakes me again later. Will hit the sack in about an hour or so. No, I missed that post. Will have to watch closer from now on. But, regular life tends to get in the way, LOL. Looking forward to reading what ever happens from your mentioned correspondence. I’ll bet it will be interesting considering many of your previous posts. You‘ve obviously caught somebody’s attention.
      There are a few wild posts on The Blaze tonight. The conspiracy theory kooks are making no sense. Nice tries, but still no real support to the theories. The Alex Jones, and multilayer aluminium foil hat crowd.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:11am

      Hi RJJ,

      Good night my friend. As soon as I have more info you and Billy will be the first to know.

      Just remember this… “purposely LEFT behind”. You will understand later.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • rickc34
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:26am

      he was on Obama’s hit list. Or she smiled at him and scared the poop out of him.

      Report Post »  
    • AmazingGrace8
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 1:46am

      @the monk

      those words “purposely left behind” sent “chills-up-my-spine”. I have some theories about Brian’s murder and it goes to a very dark place in my mind. One matter that really puzzles me is this Border Patrol Officer was “shot-in-the-back”??? ( I did hear it correctly?)

      Report Post »  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:06am

      @AmazingGrace8

      Yes you did. Sit back and let it play out. We are working on it more than you know.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • BLACKDIAMONDSKIER
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:32pm

    She doesn’t deserve a dime. The only person that deserves something on this flight is the man who died. And that would be a little respect and sympathy. My heart goes out to his family.

    Report Post »  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:28pm

    Kenya jokes in 3, 2, 1……

    Kenya move him to another seat?
    Kenya wrap him in plastic in case he has something contagious?
    Kenya give me his peanut snack?
    Kenya put him in the cargo hold?
    Kenya say a prayer or do last rights?
    Kenya call BHO and ask him what to do? Might be a relative.
    Kenya give me a drink….. quick?
    Kenya make it a double or a triple?
    Kenya check his underwear for bombs?
    Kenya just play the inflight movie, “Weekend at Bernie’s”?

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:41pm

      Hi Monk, and I thought that after all of my time as a traffic accident investigator that I was callous!

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:26pm

      Hi RJJ,

      I’m not callous, I just use to repair the computers for the NTSB here in Florida. You have no idea what I saw and read on those computers. Considering that this was a “Kenya” airplane I decided to make the first jokes. No harm or disrespect meant. NTSB agents are far more…. rude.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:38pm

      Monk, LOL, I actually understand. I always kept a straight face and did the job that was expected of me and when there where dead at the scenes I was always respectful. Afterwards we would discuss some of these incidents. Never any laughter or making light, but some of what I have seen could make the roles of the Darwin Awards.
      I’m just saying that any of us can get somewhat jaded. Talk to some of returning troops. They will not discuss what they went through unless sometimes to somebody else who has been through similar.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:02am

      Hi RJJ,
      I just shake their hands, tell them I’m proud of their service and offer to pay for their meal.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • lukerw
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:03am

      In my experience… the Arrogance of the Flight Crew has grown over the last 60 years… and gets worse the further away from the US that you are… with the exception of British Air, where they are always SNOBish!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:25am

      @lukerw

      What year were you born in? I don’t want the month or day just the year…… TIA.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • AmazingGrace8
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 2:07am

      @rjj
      When I was in my early 20′s(the 60′s) was holding down several jobs. I had an 11p.m. to 7a.m. shift with an Answering Service. On call messages for doctors/patience and misc. wake-up calls to be made and the ambulance calls would come in and I would notify the ambulance drivers with the information. The owner of the service was alittle crude and had pictures of mangled bodies of car accidents on his bulletin board etc. Well one early a.m. call, I called the guys and they were on their way and at the address & no emergency. The town had 2 streets named the same & on opposite ends of the town. The guys get back and talking & laughing (did not blame me for wrong address-just the wrong street of the 2) and the lady victim died & these guys laughed about how the lady was frightned she was going to die because the ambulance didn’t get there on time and she was “frailing” around & the guys thought it was funny. I went into the bathroom and “threw-up”my guts and quit the job right then & there. Not critizing, just had this experience & to this day when I hear a siren, I get alittle choked-up thinking someone needs help. These guys were jerks & sure there are very dedicated ambulance personnel. Sure takes a special person to do this job.

      Report Post »  
    • bigdaddyt46
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 5:39am

      LOL @the monk you are one sick puppy. ROTFLMMFAO

      Report Post » bigdaddyt46  
    • JACKTHETOAD
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 6:13pm

      What Order do you belong to MONK? Are they taking any apps? :)

      Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • eaglescout1998
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:21pm

    Not too sound callous of disrespectful, but couldn’t they have moved the DB to the cargo hold?

    Report Post » eaglescout1998  
    • Restored One
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:04pm

      My thoughts exactly. The other passengers would not need to know that, but sitting next to a dead person sure would freak me out. As for reimbursment, that is stupid. Unfortunately I would rather have a dead person sitting next to me than a screaming 2 year old or a freaking out flight attendant.

      Report Post »  
    • john koenig
      Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:20am

      Cargo holds aren’t generally accessible from the cabin of an airliner. There may be a small floor hatch, but they’re relatively small and no way is a corpse in rigor mortis going down without a struggle (so to speak.)

      Report Post » john koenig  
  • TexOkie
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:14pm

    In what way is this the responsibility of the airlines to the extent that they should feel compelled to re-imburse anyone?

    Report Post »  
  • bikerr
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:07pm

    Let‘s hope he doesn’t come back to vote in November!

    Report Post »  
    • shagstar
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:31pm

      he already did vote,,,he just wasn’t needed any longer!

      Report Post » shagstar  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love