Taipei: EVA Air has issued an apology to the family of a flight attendant, surnamed Sun, who passed away after falling ill during work. The apology came after a message was mistakenly sent to Sun’s phone, asking for leave application documents posthumously.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taiwanese airline released a statement acknowledging that the message requesting documentation for family care leave after Sun’s death was sent in error. The airline attributed the mistake to an employee’s lack of familiarity with their duties and promised to conduct a review to prevent such incidents in the future. The company expressed deep regret for the distress caused to Sun’s family and extended its deepest apologies.
Further investigation into Sun’s death is underway. The Taoyuan City Office of Labor Inspection reported that Sun, aged 34, was on an EVA Air flight from Milan to Taoyuan on September 24. During the return flight, she reported feeling unwell. Upon arrival at Taoyuan International Airport on September 25, Sun sought medical treatment at a clinic before returning home. Her condition worsened, leading to her admission to Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital on September 26 and later to China Medical University Hospital in Taichung, where she died on October 10.
The labor office’s inspection found that EVA Air complied with the Labor Standards Act regarding working hours and rest intervals. Officials noted that the company did not refuse Sun’s leave requests, although some types of leave could impact performance evaluations. Investigators plan to interview flight attendants and the purser on duty to assess whether Sun was denied medical help or discouraged from taking sick leave. EVA Air expressed its deep sadness over Sun’s death and announced an internal investigation into the matter.
