Airline Defends Crew After Corpse Was Seated Next to Vacationing Couple

Qatar Airways is defending its crew after they deposited a deceased passenger next to a couple for the final four hours of a flight from Melbourne, Australia to Doha, Qatar earlier this week.

As you know, the couple -- Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin -- claimed they were not offered new seats after a woman's corpse was covered with a blanket and was placed in their row. Ring said he was simply asked to move over so the woman -- who dropped dead near them -- could occupy his seat.

In a statement obtained by TMZ, Qatar Airways says cabin crew "acted quickly, appropriately and professionally at all times in line with training and industry standard practice."

The airline says crew members are trained to handle onboard deaths -- which they describe as an "unfortunate reality" ... "with as much respect and dignity as possible."

Contrary to Ring and Colin's telling, Qatar Airways says guests "were accommodated to other seats" and that a crew member sat next to the deceased passenger for the remainder of the flight.

Notably, Ring and Colin did not mention a crew member joining them in their row. Furthermore, Colin said she only changed rows after a fellow passenger encouraged her to sit with her.

Qatar says they have been "in direct contact with the family of the deceased" and offered passengers "directly affected" by the uncomfortable situation "emotional support and compensation."

The airline did not respond to TMZ when asked how much guests would be compensated.