TAIPEI — EVA Air (BR), one of Taiwan’s flagship international carriers, is under fire following the in-flight death of a young and widely admired flight attendant who reportedly was ordered to continue working despite showing serious signs of illness. The incident has triggered public anger, regulatory investigations, and renewed debate over airline sick-leave policies.
The tragedy occurred aboard flight BR95 from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) on September 25. According to multiple reports, the crew member had already fallen ill on the outbound leg to Italy, but her condition worsened sharply on the return journey.
Fellow crew members allege that despite her deteriorating health, the cabin manager instructed her to complete the entire 13-hour flight and refused to contact Medlink, the medical-advisory service used by airlines to assist with in-flight health emergencies. Witnesses further claim that the manager denied requests to arrange medical support upon arrival, forcing the attendant to disembark on her own after landing even though she was visibly ill.
She was later taken to a hospital, where she died. EVA Air said in a brief statement that it was “deeply saddened” by the incident and confirmed that an internal investigation is underway.
A fellow crew member described the event to industry outlet PYOK not as an isolated mishap but as “a predictable consequence of systemic and long-term indifference to crew members’ health.”
Regulators and Union Demand Accountability
Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor has launched an inquiry into whether EVA Air management violated labor-protection standards by denying or discouraging medical leave. Should the airline be found negligent, it could face substantial fines and corrective measures.
The Taoyuan Flight Attendant Union, which represents EVA Air’s cabin crew, condemned what it called a punitive sick-leave structure that effectively pressures staff to fly even when unwell.
Although the company asserts that it discourages employees from working while sick, the union argues that the internal system penalizes those who take legitimate leave. According to union officials, using sick days can disrupt a crew member’s entire flight rotation, hurt annual performance evaluations, and reduce bonus eligibility — creating what they call an environment of “silent coercion.”
The union urged EVA Air executives to reform attendance policies and “replace punishment with encouragement” in how they handle health-related absences. It also called on the company to show greater empathy toward crew members facing medical issues.
Flight attendants, the union noted, are particularly vulnerable to illness because of long, irregular work hours, fatigue from multiple time zones, and prolonged exposure to the pressurized cabin environment at high altitudes — all factors that can suppress immunity and delay recovery.
Airline Industry Under Renewed Pressure
Beyond the immediate regulatory fallout, the tragedy has reignited broader concern about how airlines worldwide manage crew health and workplace stress. Flight attendants must be physically fit and mentally alert to respond to emergencies, yet many say they are penalized for calling in sick.
Aviation-safety experts argue that the EVA Air case underscores the need for systemic change. Industry consultant Raymond Chu told local media that airlines should ensure transparent sick-leave systems and stronger oversight of in-flight medical procedures. “Carriers must balance operational efficiency with the human limits of their crews,” he said.
Labor advocates say the case mirrors wider industry pressures as airlines recover from post-pandemic labor shortages. With scheduling tight and margins thin, crew members often feel compelled to work through illness to avoid burdening colleagues or facing disciplinary action.
For EVA Air — long known for its premium service reputation — the incident poses both a human tragedy and a reputational crisis. Regulators are expected to review the airline’s labor-management practices over the coming weeks, while unions prepare to push for policy reform across Taiwan’s aviation sector.
The Ministry of Labor has pledged to release its preliminary findings once the investigation concludes.
If proven that internal procedures or supervisory negligence contributed to the death, legal experts say EVA Air could face both administrative penalties and civil liability claims from the employee’s family.
As public scrutiny mounts, the case is emerging as a test of how far airlines are willing to go to protect the people who keep them flying — and whether corporate policies can change before another preventable tragedy occurs.
