EVA Air Scandal: Heartless or Clueless? Company Asked 'Dead' Employee to Justify Leave During Own Funeral

On a day already shrouded in grief, as a family prepared to lay their loved one to rest, the cold chime of a text message shattered the solemn atmosphere. The message was not one of condolence or support, but a bureaucratic demand from an employer seemingly oblivious to the tragedy that had unfolded.

It was a moment of profound corporate insensitivity from EVA Air that would soon explode into a public relations nightmare, sparking a fierce debate about corporate empathy and the human cost of rigid, unfeeling policies.

The incident involved a 34-year-old flight attendant who died following a harrowing in-flight medical emergency, sparking allegations of gross negligence. Her family's heartbreaking and defiant response has turned their private pain into a public symbol of worker dignity.

A 'Heartless' Message Ignites The EVA Air Scandal

The firestorm began with a screenshot of a conversation that laid bare the shocking disconnect between a grieving family and the airline. An EVA Air representative messaged the family of a recently deceased flight attendant, surnamed Sun, on the very day of her funeral.

The initial message read, 'Hello, I'm wondering if you've submitted a document of proof for your family care leave taken on Sept. 27. If not, please submit it the soonest possible. For admin purposes, please take a photo of the doc for now and send it to me, thank you'.

Stunned by the request, a family member replied with disbelief, 'Did you not see the news? Clearly there's a lot to be improved in your company'. The exchange culminated in a final, devastating act of compliance.

The family sent a PDF of their loved one's death certificate, accompanied by the message: 'I just submitted it 'the soonest possible' as you wished. Take your time now, there's no rush.' This raw and powerful response quickly circulated online, becoming the central exhibit in a case of corporate negligence.

Netizens were quick to react to report. One netizen, named Mclyne Bulalaque, wrote on Facebook: 'If that will be me-- they will receive corpse photos too.' Trebor Salvadora commented: 'what a vile and inhumane airline.'

John Daniel Esguerra added: 'guessing information spreads slow internally in the company, especially on the management. if that's the case, company really needs to change stuffs. Either that or the HR that sent that really didn't knew at all that their employee has been dead. 'working at home or busy day/can't be bothered/need to grind attitude' never noticing the news or any internal information running around.'

Kim Chi Na stated: 'What the hell? Then ask the person to go to hell and look for the deceased for the documents.'

Union Slams 'Deeply Inhumane' Policies Amid The Eva Air Scandal

As public outrage grew, the flight attendants' union swiftly condemned the airline's actions, labelling them as 'deeply inhumane'. In their statement, the union argued that this incident was not an isolated mistake but a direct symptom of a toxic corporate culture built on fear and punishment. They highlighted how EVA Air's draconian policies have long pressured employees into a state of anxiety regarding their employment records.

The union explained that the airline's harsh system effectively forces crew members to misuse different types of leave. Out of fear of receiving demerits or facing disciplinary action for taking personal or sick leave, even for legitimate reasons, employees often feel compelled to use other forms of leave to cover their absences.

This creates a stressful environment where staff, even when dealing with serious personal illness or family emergencies, are more worried about navigating bureaucracy than caring for themselves or their loved ones. The tragic case of the deceased flight attendant, the union argued, was the inevitable result of this deeply flawed and punishing system.

Official Probes And Public Outrage Define The EVA Air Scandal

In response to the growing crisis, EVA Air has launched its own internal investigation. The airline stated it was officially informed of the crew member's death on October 11 and is offering support to her family. Separately, the Taoyuan City Office of Labour Inspection announced on October 13 that it will also launch an investigation into the incident.

These official probes are unfolding against a backdrop of widespread public anger. The story has resonated far beyond the airline industry, touching a nerve with workers everywhere who have felt de-humanised by corporate policies.

Critics have pointed out that such a catastrophic error suggests a fundamental breakdown in the company's internal processes and a shocking lack of basic human decency. For many, the incident serves as a damning indictment of a corporate culture that prioritises procedure over people.

Eva Air Apologises For 'Mistake' Amid Official Probes And The Eva Air Scandal

Senior EVA Air officials held a press conference to address the incident. They said the text message sent to Ms Sun after her death was a 'mistake by an internal employee' and confirmed they had personally apologised to her family for the error.

EVA Air President Sun Chia-Ming stated: 'The departure of Ms Sun is the pain in our hearts forever. We will carry out the investigation [into her death] with the most responsible attitude.'

In a separate statement to the BBC, the airline said it was 'deeply saddened' by Ms Sun's death and that the 'health and safety of our employees and passengers are our highest priorities'. The company is conducting a 'thorough review' of the case, alongside a separate investigation launched by the Taoyuan City Office of Labour Inspection.