EasyJet passengers were left shocked on Friday after a family allegedly wheeled their dead grandmother onto a plane.
Five relatives took the passenger, 89, onto the flight - telling airline staff she was tired and feeling unwell.
The airline itself has said the grandmother held a fit-to-fly certificate.
It was only when the plane had begun moving towards the runway when cabin crew realised the woman had died.
Witnesses claim boarding staff questioned the woman's condition multiple times before allowing her onto the aircraft.
One passenger alleged that a member of the group told a clerk they were doctors.
The flight to Gatwick was turned around before take-off, leaving passengers facing a 12-hour delay as a result.
Flyers described seeing the woman slumped unconscious in her wheelchair as she was brought through the cabin.
Some said her head had to be held up by a family member as she was wheeled past them to seats at the rear of the aircraft.
Five relatives took the passenger, 89, onto the flight - telling airline staff she was tired and feeling unwell (file photo)
|GETTY
Her relatives then lifted her from the wheelchair into her seat, according to witnesses.
Tracy-Ann Kitching, a passenger on the flight, claimed: "An actual doctor onboard [confirmed] she was already dead when they put her in her seat."
Another traveller, who wished to remain anonymous, said everyone aboard thought the woman appeared dead when she arrived.
They added that she should never have been cleared to fly.
Petra Boddington asked what ground staff were thinking when they allowed the woman to board.
HOLIDAY HELL - READ MORE:
The flight had been due to leave Malaga (pictured) at 11.15am but did not leave until 10.47pm local time
|GETTY
She wrote: "To the naked eye, she looked like she was already dead, slumped unconscious in a wheelchair, so why would she be allowed on to the flight and then disrupt everyone's plans... purely to save the family repatriation?!"
Ms Boddington added: "If I was drunk they wouldn't let me on... but apparently dead is ok?! EasyJet what's going on?"
Ms Kitching echoed her fury, writing: "easyJet - you are unbelievable! Why did you let a dead person on our flight?!"
She also criticised the special assistance service, saying they should have raised concerns about the passenger's condition.
EasyJet has disputed the passengers' accounts, stating the woman held a valid fit-to-fly certificate and was alive when she boarded the aircraft.
A spokesman for the airline said the flight returned to stand after a customer required urgent medical assistance, and emergency services attended the scene.
"The customer sadly passed away," the spokesman said, adding that the company's thoughts were with the family.
The Civil Guard in Malaga also confirmed officers were called to the aircraft, where the British woman was pronounced dead.
The flight had been due to leave Malaga at 11.15am but did not leave until 10.47pm local time, finally landing at Gatwick around midnight.