A Taiwanese captain punched a Malaysian first officer at least four times during taxi out of their EVA Air flight from Los Angeles to Taipei. The first officer believed the captain was taxiing too fast (exceeding a 30-knot limit), issued multiple standardized warnings (“Speed”), and then applied the brakes when the captain didn’t correct.
The Boeing 777-300ER first officer had swelling and bruising on the back of one hand. A whistleblower complained the airline didn’t take immediate action and the captain was allowed to continue. However, the airline says the aircraft was not speeding. (This seems like the least of the issues.) Nonetheless, they temporarily removed the captain from flight duty pending an investigation. Taiwan’s civil aviation regulator is investigating as well.
According to EVA Air,
The company initiated an investigation immediately after the incident and is currently fully clarifying the actual taxiing situation, the cause of the conflict, and related facts. EVA Air has always attached great importance to flight safety, professional ethics, and the working environment for its employees. The company will handle any matter that may affect flight safety or violate workplace order prudently in accordance with relevant regulations and company rules, with ensuring flight safety being the top priority.
The story actually broke in local Taiwanese media on New Years Day. I did not see it until One Mile at a Time coverage on January 17.
There are two separate issues here.
- Was taxi speed actually excessive? The first officer says yes, the airline says flight data shows it wasn’t.
- Was a physical assault the proper response to this disagreement?
A cockpit authority breakdown and violence is the real story here! It’s not something that happens regularly, but is hardly unprecedented. For instance, in 2022, Air France pilots were suspended after a cockpit fight on a Geneva – Paris flight where flight attendants had to intervene.
The co-pilot of a Southwest flight sued his airline after the captain dead-bolted the cockpit door and stripped naked. A Delta first officer pulled a gun on the captain threatening to shoot him if they diverted.
.@ABCWorldNews: "Tonight, a commercial airline pilot has been charged with pulling a gun on the captain right next to him in the cockpit mid-flight. Jonathan Dunn, indicted by a grand jury in Utah. Federal prosecutors say he threatened to shoot if the captain diverted their… pic.twitter.com/XcmCW9y77Q
— Ross Feinstein (@RossFeinstein) November 1, 2023
A male pilot slapped the female co-pilot and they both left the cockpit on a London – Mumbai flgiht. The pilots of a United Express flight got into a fight ((more context).
“Was a physical assault the proper response to this disagreement?”
I’m going out on a limb here, but my guess would be…….no
“Taiwan’s aviation regulator” … huh, so basically more proof that it is its own sovereign country. That’s (not) what Xi said. Like, why is this still one of the biggest lies in the world? (Oh, that regime makes most of our junk, so we can’t offend them by stating the truth or addressing reality; no, no. we all must adopt their lies, appease this one-party dictatorship, and refer to actual free people as under their control…) Psh. #47 should just formally recognize Taiwan. New PM of Japan was right to speak up. No time to be weak, friends.