A Taiwanese airline, Eva Air, has been embroiled in a scandal after it was revealed that the company had sent a text message to a dead flight attendant asking for paperwork days after her death. The 34-year-old Sun, who died of an unspecified illness during a flight from Milan to Taiwan, had reportedly been feeling unwell on September 24.
According to reports, the airline's internal email system sent a request for proof that Sun had applied for leave in late September, a period she was supposedly hospitalized. The message was allegedly texted to her after days of her death. Her phone received this text message with a picture of the leave documents. However, it has been reported that her family replied the text with a copy of her death certificate.
Eva Air's officials have stated that the request for paperwork was an error by an internal employee and expressed their deep regret to Sun's family over the incident. Eva Air President, Sun Chia-Ming described the loss of Ms Sun as "pain in our hearts forever" and vowed to carry out a thorough investigation into her death with the most responsible attitude.
There have been allegations from colleagues that she was pushed to continue working even when feeling unwell and has raised concerns about workplace culture. The China Medical University Hospital, where Sun died, had not officially disclosed the cause of her death. Flight records showed that Sun had flown an average of 75 hours per month in the last six months, which is within regulatory limits.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among Taiwanese people online and calls for greater accountability from the airline's management over workers' welfare.
According to reports, the airline's internal email system sent a request for proof that Sun had applied for leave in late September, a period she was supposedly hospitalized. The message was allegedly texted to her after days of her death. Her phone received this text message with a picture of the leave documents. However, it has been reported that her family replied the text with a copy of her death certificate.
Eva Air's officials have stated that the request for paperwork was an error by an internal employee and expressed their deep regret to Sun's family over the incident. Eva Air President, Sun Chia-Ming described the loss of Ms Sun as "pain in our hearts forever" and vowed to carry out a thorough investigation into her death with the most responsible attitude.
There have been allegations from colleagues that she was pushed to continue working even when feeling unwell and has raised concerns about workplace culture. The China Medical University Hospital, where Sun died, had not officially disclosed the cause of her death. Flight records showed that Sun had flown an average of 75 hours per month in the last six months, which is within regulatory limits.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among Taiwanese people online and calls for greater accountability from the airline's management over workers' welfare.
Eva Air is literally a total mess right now 
I mean, I know they've apologized and all that but come on, sending a text to a DEAD person asking for paperwork? It's just so... uncalled for 
And the fact that her family showed them the death certificate and they're still trying to sweep it under the rug? No way 
My heart goes out to Sun's family and loved ones - this is just disgusting 
I'm all about holding people accountable, especially when it comes to worker welfare. Eva Air needs to get its act together ASAP 
We deserve better than being treated like dirt 
It's not just the fact that she was asked for paperwork after dying, it's the whole 'feeling unwell' thing that raises some red flags. If she was really sick, wouldn't you think someone would've taken her out of commission sooner? And now there are allegations that she was pushed to keep working despite her condition... it's just not right.
the thought of them asking for paperwork days after she passed away is just heartbreaking 
it's like they forgot that she was even gone, like they didn't care enough to remember to ask about her health before she died 
and now everyone is talking about the workplace culture at Eva Air and how Sun might have been pushed too hard 
we need to make sure they're held accountable for this kind of thing 
... like they're still trying to process what happened! You can't even imagine receiving a text from your airline asking for paperwork while you're, well, dead 
.
my heart goes out to her family, that's so not right. also can we talk about how much work she was putting in? 75 hours a month is already crazy and now ppl are saying she might've been pushed too hard 
i'm all for good workplace culture and making sure ppl r taken care of before they, you know, pass away 
that doesn't sound right for someone who was feeling unwell on a flight. hopefully they do take responsibility for this and make some changes to prioritize worker well-being 
This whole thing with Eva Air just makes me so sad 
. And to make matters worse, it seems like there were questions about whether or not Sun was pushed too hard by her employers... if true, that would be a huge concern 
. And what's worse is that her family has to deal with this on top of everything else... it's just heartbreaking 
Eva Air needs to get their act together ASAP 
I made some charts to illustrate the timeline of events, check them out! 
. I mean, who does that? 
It's just so... inhumane! 
. The airline should be more empathetic and considerate of the family's feelings, especially after losing a loved one 
.
. Like, who knew cats could do that? I'm seriously thinking of getting one now. I wonder if they can play classical music or is it more like pop stuff? Anyway, back to Eva Air... I don't know how much worse the situation can get for them. I mean, sending a text message to a dead person's phone? That's just messed up. And the fact that they're trying to shift the blame to an internal employee doesn't really make it any better. I'm glad Sun's family is speaking out and demanding some answers from the airline...