EVA Air Flight Attendant Death: What Happened & What We Know

It takes a rare kind of resilience to work a long-haul cabin crew shift, but the line between pushing through and being pushed too far is not always clear. When a 34-year-old EVA Air flight attendant died after falling ill on a flight to Milan in October 2025, the tragedy quickly raised uncomfortable questions about crew welfare and how the airline treated its own people.

Age of flight attendant: 34 years old ·
Date of death: October 2025 ·
Cause of death: Acute liver failure ·
Airline response: Apologized after requesting repatriation payment from family ·
Investigation completion: November 2025 by Taiwan’s Ministry

Six key facts, one pattern: every confirmed detail points to a system where crew welfare was secondary to operations — until it was too late.

What happened to the EVA Air flight attendant who died?

The flight to Milan

• Flight attendant Sun, a 34-year-old woman surnamed Sun, was assigned to a long-haul round-trip from Taipei, Taiwan to Milan, Italy. (Taiwan News)
• Sun felt unwell during the flight and sought medical treatment after arriving in Taoyuan on September 25, 2025. (Taiwan News)

Onset of illness

• Sun was first treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou before being transferred to China Medical University Hospital in Taichung. (Taiwan News)
• According to China Medical University Hospital deputy director Chen I-hsing, adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) — a rare systemic inflammatory autoimmune disorder affecting roughly 1 in 100,000 people worldwide — was suspected as the cause. (Taiwan News)

Aftermath and death

• Sun died on October 10, 2025. (Taiwan News)
• On October 13, labor inspectors in Taoyuan launched an investigation into her death. (Focus Taiwan)

The implication: the timeline between Sun feeling unwell and her death was just 15 days. That narrow window may itself become the focus of further labor and medical scrutiny.

What was the cause of death?

Acute liver failure

• The Ministry completed a probe in November 2025, confirming the cause as acute liver failure. (Taipei Times)
• Deputy director Chen I-hsing stated that AOSD — suspected as the underlying trigger — is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disorder whose exact cause remains unknown. (Taiwan News)

Investigation findings by Taiwan’s Ministry

• The Ministry’s probe, completed on November 21, 2025, found no criminal charges were warranted. (Taipei Times)
• However, labor inspectors had launched their own investigation independently, focusing on whether work conditions contributed. (Focus Taiwan)

The pattern: the Ministry medically closed its file, but labor and union scrutiny remains open.

How did EVA Air respond?

Apology issued

• EVA Air made its first major public response about a week after the death, issuing a public apology. (TaiwanPlus News)
• The apology came after the airline initially asked Sun’s family to pay for repatriation costs — a move that triggered public outrage. (TaiwanPlus News)

Internal investigation

• EVA Air said it was cooperating with authorities on the investigation. (TaiwanPlus News)
• A local flight-attendant union criticized EVA Air’s response as insufficient. (TaiwanPlus News)

Proposed policy changes

• EVA Air promised evaluation and changes in employee protocols after the incident. (TaiwanPlus News)
• Allegations surfaced that EVA leave policies were punitive and could discourage crew from taking time off. (TaiwanPlus News)

The trade-off: EVA Air apologized publicly, but the apology alone won’t fix a culture that unions say penalizes sick crew. For Taiwan’s second-largest airline, the reputational damage may outlast any policy memo. (Taipei Times)

How much does an EVA flight attendant make?

Monthly salary range

• Glassdoor lists a monthly pay range for EVA Air flight attendants between approximately NT$60,000 and NT$100,000. (Glassdoor (salary aggregation))

Glassdoor data

• The average base salary for a cabin crew member at EVA Air is estimated at around NT$75,000–80,000 per month. (Glassdoor)

Comparison with other airlines

• EVA Air’s salary range is competitive for Taiwan-based carriers, falling between China Airlines and budget carriers like Tigerair Taiwan. (Glassdoor)
• By global standards, however, EVA Air flight attendants earn less than counterparts at Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates or Qatar Airways. (Airline Quality (industry reference))

What this means: EVA Air flight attendants are paid competitively within Taiwan but well below premium international benchmarks — and the question raised by Sun’s case is whether salary structure reflects the physical toll of long-haul work.

Why sit on hands during takeoff?

Bracing for impact

• Placing hands under thighs during takeoff and landing — known as the “bracing position” — prevents arm flailing during turbulence or accidents. (FAA (U.S. aviation regulator) guidance)

Preventing flailing injuries

• In a crash or rapid deceleration, loose arms can strike the seat in front, causing fractures or head trauma. (FAA)

Recommendations from aviation authorities

• The FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) both recommend bracing positions in safety briefings. (EASA (European aviation regulator))
• EVA Air’s own safety manual includes the hands-under-thighs position for takeoff and landing. (EVA Air (airline official site))

The implication: this basic safety measure, now standard across the industry, underscores how every procedure is designed for worst-case scenarios — a logic that contrasts sharply with the ad hoc response Sun’s case received.

Timeline

• Early October 2025: Flight attendant Sun falls ill during flight to Milan. (Taiwan News)
• Mid-October 2025: Sun dies (October 10). EVA Air apologizes after requesting repatriation payment from family. (Taiwan News)
• Late October 2025: EVA Air says it is discussing policy changes. (TaiwanPlus News)
• November 21, 2025: Taiwan’s Ministry completes probe; cause confirmed as acute liver failure. (Taipei Times)

The pattern: the timeline shows a rapid deterioration from first symptoms to death, raising questions about early intervention.

Confirmed facts

• The flight attendant was 34-year-old Sun. (Taiwan News)
• Death was due to acute liver failure. (Taipei Times)
• EVA Air apologized for asking family to pay repatriation costs. (TaiwanPlus News)
• Ministry probe completed in November 2025. (Taipei Times)

The pattern: all confirmed facts point to a death that occurred despite the airline’s public commitments to crew welfare.

What’s unclear

• Exact sequence of events during the medical emergency. (Focus Taiwan)
• Whether any policy changes have been fully implemented. (TaiwanPlus News)
• If there were any pre-existing health conditions. (Taiwan News)
• Whether the airline’s leave policy contributed to the delay in seeking medical attention. (TaiwanPlus News)

The pattern: the uncertainty surrounding the sequence of events underscores the need for a transparent investigation.

Quotes

The exact cause of AOSD is still unknown.

— Chen I-hsing, deputy director of China Medical University Hospital, as quoted in Taiwan News

EVA Air publicly apologized for the incident.

— EVA Air spokesperson, as reported by TaiwanPlus News

The implication: the airline’s official statements and the medical expert’s remarks offer contrasting perspectives on accountability.

Summary

The death of flight attendant Sun has exposed a fault line between an airline’s operational needs and its duty of care. For EVA Air in Taiwan, the choice is no longer about procedures on paper: it is about whether crew welfare becomes a measurable priority — or the next headline.

The circumstances surrounding the EVA Air flight attendants death in Milan have prompted the airline to review its pre-flight health protocols for crew members.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• South Korea Plane Crash 2024: Jeju Air Flight 2216 Cause — Major aviation incident involving an Asian carrier.
• Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport: TPE Transport & Rules — EVA Air’s primary hub and operational base.