EVA boss slams TIAC safety standards

By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter





EVA Airways chairman Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒) yesterday said that the company would definitely seek restitution from Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) for damage found on one of its aircraft that was caused by the impact of a large piece of asphalt during takeoff on the southern runway at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, adding that the airport should take flight safety issues more seriously.

EVA said the incident happened last month to an aircraft headed to Taiyuan, China, adding that the asphalt from the runway hit the aircraft’s left horizontal stabilizer.

Chang spoke about the issue on the sidelines of a ceremony in Seattle, at which the company received aircraft it bought from Boeing Co.

He said that he can no longer stand TIAC’s frivolous attitude toward aviation safety.

Chang said he chose to speak up because he wanted people to know that TIAC did not take runway maintenance and planning seriously. He said that TIAC’s attitude would eventually lead to the loss of human lives and devastate the nation’s image.

Chang said he cannot condone that the incident happened after TIAC had just completed a major renovation on the runway less than a year ago.

“This event was outrageous and put the entire aircraft in danger,” he said. “It has tested my limit.”

Chang said TIAC has the same administrative status as the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) as they are now agencies of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, which means the CAA cannot oversee TIAC’s operations.

The system has to be changed, Chang added.

TIAC senior vice president Wen Yung-sung (溫永松) said the company has yet to receive EVA’s request for compensation, adding that the CAA has formed an ad hoc committee to investigate the cause of the incident.

“We would not shun our responsibility if it is determined from the results of the investigation that the company is at fault,” Wen said.

The CAA said it would release the results of its investigation on Monday.