Aero International” Ranks EVA Among “Best of Best” for Safety
European airline industry magazine identifies 12 carriers with top records

AIPEI, TAIWAN, (14 March, 2006) – “Aero International,” a monthly magazine for the aviation industry and airline, airport, air freight and maintenance professionals, has again recognized EVA Air among the world’s “best of the best” airlines for having had no deaths or total aircraft losses in their years of service.  There are five airlines that have met this high safety standard for the past 33 years while seven, including EVA, follow in ranking because they have not been flying as long.

The magazine uses data provided by Hamburg-based JACDEC, an organization that has tracked airline accidents since 1973.  “Aero International” published the results in a report entitled “Aviation Safety Net.”  The five carriers with top safety records for the entire tracking period are Qantas, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, All Nippon Airways and El Al.  The seven younger airlines listed behind the front-runners

are Air Berlin (1979), Virgin Atlantic (1984), Emirates (1985), Ryanair (1985), EVA (1991), Easyjet (1995) and Jet Blue (2000). The magazine examined records for the world’s 50 biggest airlines and determined that there has been very little change since last year, noting that the only death in 2005 occurred when a Boeing 737 overshot the runway at Chicago’s Midway Airport and collided with a car.  The report describes EVA as “flying accident-free since its start of operations” and ranking among the “statistically safest airlines in the world.”  On the list of 50 airlines, EVA is ranked in 10th place.  EVA management has emphasized safety and service throughout the airline’s operations from day one, and has implemented a total safety policy in every aspect of aircraft maintenance and passenger care.  It became the first airline in Taiwan to be certified through the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Operational Safety Audit, and is an IOSA-Certified Operator with a commendation that concludes “Zero Findings, Zero Recommendations.”  And it has received Awards of Excellence from the Boeing Company for outstanding fleet maintenance and reliability.  EVA has also been recognized by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) of Taiwan and has received Golden Wing Awards for surpassing other Taiwan-based carriers in Flight Safety Management, Passenger Services, Information Provided, Chartered Flight Services during Peak Seasons, Support of Airport Training Drills, and more in 2003, 2004 and 2005.   The CAA gave EVA a “first grade rating” and Best Flight Operations Award in 2000.  And the CAA recognized EVA for Zero Defaults in Flight Safety in 1995, noting that EVA Air was the only airline with a “zero default” rating. In addition, EVA was Taiwan’s first airline to achieve official ISO 9002 Certification in three separate areas of operation at the same time:  Passenger, Cargo and Maintenance Services.  The airline has continued to maintain this quality status with the Bureau Verities Quality International.  And it gained certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for its state-of-the-art, Taiwan-based maintenance program.