2025-10-07T17:34:03Z

Imagine boarding a flight, expecting a meal catered to your dietary needs, only to find yourself fighting for your life instead. This is the tragic reality for the family of Dr. Asoka Jayaweera, an 85-year-old retired cardiologist who passed away after choking on a flight from Los Angeles to Colombo.

In July 2023, Dr. Jayaweera, a strict vegetarian, had pre-ordered his meal, trusting that Qatar Airways would meet his dietary requirements. Yet, as fate would have it, he was served a non-vegetarian meal. According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his son, Surya Jayaweera, the flight crew suggested he try to “eat around” the meat. How horrifying! While attempting to navigate this culinary disaster, he began choking, ultimately losing consciousness.

Despite the crew's immediate efforts and remote assistance from MedAire, a medical advisory service for airlines, Dr. Jayaweera never regained consciousness. The flight crew did not divert the plane for an emergency landing, claiming they were flying over the Arctic Circle, but flight data indicates they were over the U.S. Midwest, raising serious questions about their decisions during a critical time.

The flight finally landed in Edinburgh, Scotland, but tragically, Dr. Jayaweera was pronounced dead just days later on August 3, 2023. His family’s lawsuit, now echoing through the halls of federal court in California, alleges negligence and wrongful death, pointing to failures in both meal service and medical response protocols.

They argue Qatar Airways neglected its duty of care, especially given Dr. Jayaweera's pre-booked vegetarian meal. The cause of death was later confirmed as aspiration pneumonia, a consequence of inhaling food into the lungs—a fate that could have been avoided.

While Qatar Airways has yet to provide an official statement regarding the lawsuit, this case taps into a growing concern about food safety and allergy management in the skies. Recent incidents, including complaints from reality TV star Jack Fowler about being served nuts despite alerting the crew of his severe allergy, spotlight the critical need for airlines to prioritize passenger safety during flights.

In a world where travel is supposed to be a gateway to adventure, it begs the question: how can we ensure our safety at 30,000 feet? This tragic incident is a stark reminder that more needs to be done to protect passengers and honor their dietary needs.