TAIPEI (TVBS News) — EVA Air (長榮航空) apologized Thursday (Oct. 16) after sending a leave documentation request to a deceased flight attendant's phone, four days after the 34-year-old woman died from illness contracted during a Milan-Taoyuan flight. The message requesting family care leave paperwork sparked outrage among Taiwan airline workers and union officials. Flight attendant Sun (孫) had died Oct. 10 at China Medical University Hospital after becoming ill Sept. 24.
EVA Air attributed the error Wednesday to staff unfamiliarity with procedures, expressing "deepest apologies" to Sun's family for the inappropriate posthumous message. The Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union (桃園市空服員職業工會), Taiwan's cabin crew labor organization, called the documentation demand "inhumane" and indicative of systemic company issues. Union advisor Chou Sheng-kai (周聖凱) said employees viewed the company's actions as absurd and disrespectful to the deceased and family.
The Taoyuan City Office of Labor Inspection (桃園市政府勞動檢查處), Taiwan's workplace regulatory agency, Tuesday (Oct.14) found EVA Air compliant with working hour regulations but noted certain leave types could affect performance evaluations. Labor investigators announced they would question flight attendants and the purser on duty to determine whether Sun was denied medical help or discouraged from taking sick leave. EVA Air launched an internal investigation while expressing being "deeply saddened" by Sun's death.
Sun chose family care leave during hospitalization, fearing repercussions from sick leave policies that union officials said forced her to fabricate a narrative. She fell ill during the Milan-Taoyuan flight Sept. 24, sought clinic treatment upon arrival Sept. 25, and was hospitalized at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Sept. 26. Sun was transferred to China Medical University Hospital Oct. 8, where she died two days later. ◼
