TAIPEI (TVBS News) — EVA Air (長榮航空) executives Friday (Oct. 17) publicly apologized for the death of a flight attendant who died after falling ill on duty. President Sun Chia-Ming (孫嘉明) and other senior officials bowed during a Taipei press conference, pledging transparency and a comprehensive internal investigation. The public apology follows mounting criticism over working conditions after the 34-year-old attendant's death Oct. 10.
The flight attendant, also surnamed Sun (孫), sought medical treatment after completing a Milan-to-Taiwan flight in late September, during which she felt unwell. Her death Oct. 10 triggered widespread public outrage and intensified scrutiny of airline working conditions. The incident has raised broader questions about labor practices within Taiwan's aviation industry.
President Sun acknowledged the company has accepted criticism and feedback following the incident. He emphasized EVA Air has supported the deceased's family, maintained contact during hospitalization, and launched an internal investigation interviewing relevant colleagues. The airline leadership stressed their commitment to transparency rather than avoiding responsibility for the tragedy.
Junior Vice President Yang Hsiu-Hui (楊秀慧) addressed allegations of systemic problems, stating the company approves about 100 weekday leave requests and 200 weekend requests. Yang noted last-minute leave applications are generally approved through systematic processes, with 250-300 standby staff scheduled daily. The executive maintained that these figures demonstrate adequate staffing levels and dispute claims of operational shortages.
