Starlux Airlines’ Chairman is potentially facing a fine, after letting an influencer into the cockpit on the carrier’s inaugural flight to Los Angeles.
In this post:
Starlux boss lets Sam Chui into A350 cockpit
Starlux Airlines recently launched nonstop flights between Taipei (TPE) and Los Angeles (LAX) using an Airbus A350-900, which marks the carrier’s first long haul route.
The flight’s captain was Chang Kuo-wei, who is also the carrier’s Chairman & Founder. He’s a huge avgeek, and is rated on all the planes that Starlux flies. Previously he was Chairman of EVA Air, and there he was a Boeing 777 captain.
There were all kinds of media on the flight, including airline vlogger Sam Chui, who regularly gets special access with airlines. Chui covered the flight in great detail, and also posted a picture from the cockpit with the captain from before departure. He captioned the photo “not everyday the chairman of an airline flies his passengers personally!”
You wouldn’t think much of that, except that this is apparently prohibited in Taiwan. Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has the Aircraft Flight Operation Regulations, and Article 194 states the following:
No person may be admitted into the flight crew compartment of an aircraft except for the authorized personnel and Flight Dispatchers of the operator. However, CAA authorized personnel may be exempted from the restrictions herein this article.
As you can see, Taiwan actually bans guests from visiting the cockpit, even while the plane is on the ground with the door open.
Starlux’s Director of Flight Operations has now been summoned by authorities regarding this case. If the Chairman is found to have violated regulations as a pilot, he could be looking at a fine of up to NT$60,000 (just under $2,000), and on top of that the company would receive a warning. A second offense would lead to a fine of NT$600,000, or nearly $20,000.
Separate from this, Starlux is being investigated by authorities in Taiwan, after two Airbus A350s got stranded at Tokyo Narita Airport over the weekend. In this case, the Chairman personally flew to Tokyo Narita, though there are questions about whether everything possible was done to prevent passengers from being stranded there overnight, without even getting hotel accommodations.
My take on this cockpit incident
First let me say that Taiwan’s rule prohibiting anyone from entering the cockpit is just plain stupid, in my opinion. Of course I would understand such a ban in the air, but letting someone visit the cockpit on the ground shouldn’t be an issue. It should be at the discretion of the captain, who we otherwise trust with the safe operation of an aircraft. Heck, there are a lot of avgeeks out there, and seeing a cockpit in person is one of the things that inspires many little kids to want to become pilots.
That being said, while I think the rule is stupid, that doesn’t justify breaking it. If Starlux’s Chairman is also a pilot, he should be leading by example, and be following every rule to a “T.” I have to wonder, did he not know the rule, did he not think the rule would be enforced, or did he think an inaugural flight was a fair circumstance to break the rule?
I think it’s ridiculously cool how Starlux’s Chairman is also such a hands-on avgeek, though it is a bit concerning when he’s the one being fined for breaking rules, which presumably all other pilots are expected to follow. Does he think he’s above the rules, or what? Because that’s not great for crew resource management…
In Sam Chui’s defense, I imagine he had no clue that this restriction existed. I certainly didn’t, and presumably he only went to the cockpit because he was invited.
Bottom line
Starlux’s Chairman is potentially in some legal trouble with regulators. The Chairman personally piloted Starlux’s inaugural flight to LAX, and he let at least one visitor into the cockpit on the ground. As it turns out, that violates Taiwan’s aviation regulations, which don’t allow any visitors in the cockpit, even on the ground. While the rule seems silly to me, the Chairman should be following regulations as much as anyone else.
What do you make of this Starlux controversy?
This is not the first time Sam has landed a pilot in trouble with his cockpit visits. A Nepal Airlines pilot was suspended from duty following his unauthorized visit.
If he truly was an avgeek, he would have known that the cockpit is generally a no-go zone after 9/11. But profits and ego matter more to him and it's clear from his actions that he has no qualms getting pilots into trouble if it fits his motive.
Sorry did you just call Sam Chui an "influencer"? He isn't. He's an overprivileged hack of a...whatever you want to call it, who has absolutely no concept of reality.
Rules make no sense. I wonder if Starlux will get fined a second time when SC went into the cockpit after landing at LAX
So petty. Appears that some higher power in Taiwan is looking out for EVA Air (and China Airlines) and trying to screw Mr. Chairman
His ex's at BR probably reported him, LOL.
Sam is one of the ultimate avgeeks whose reports cover the spectrum down to freighter flights, supply flights into Antarctica and his love of replica model aircraft. Call him an influencer if you will, but he is at the top of the pyramid with access to otherwise unobtainable, non retail flight experiences. And yes, Starlux should just claim he was a contractor.
So yes, I am a fanboy.
Doesn't diminish Ben as his...
Sam is one of the ultimate avgeeks whose reports cover the spectrum down to freighter flights, supply flights into Antarctica and his love of replica model aircraft. Call him an influencer if you will, but he is at the top of the pyramid with access to otherwise unobtainable, non retail flight experiences. And yes, Starlux should just claim he was a contractor.
So yes, I am a fanboy.
Doesn't diminish Ben as his focus is on retail, be it points or pay which is where I live and travel,
Lol. You can guess Sam has some daddy power seeing him available to move to HK from mainland China back in 80-90s.
And now he's just some j**jetter plus individual Skytrax, just feels a little less on the nose. love his video in some subpar 300-ish-bucks-per-night airport hotel pool while still praising it. yea he's the most honest aviation blogger ever. yay!
Funny to see all these pathetic Sam Chui haters... They are basically jealous of his lifestyle.
The man travels all the time, enjoys life while receiving millions of views. A stark contrast indeed with the life led by the losers who posted negative comments here. Sam does even know you exist...let that sink in losers
Knowing the American authorities at the FAA and NTSA will have a very dim view of this security breach as these rules are very much driven by what the American authorities require of international carries who are given rights to fly into the USA. Watch this space - the US might withdraw their landing rights which would be just desserts for an airline that pays such scant regard for the regulations related to international airline flights.
Ben might not realize that Taiwan has had serious hijacking issues in the past and that might be why they have these cockpit restrictions. Taiwan doesn't even have freedom of speech. I always wondered when Sam Chui would get someone into trouble.
Sam Chui causes trouble like this were ever he goes….he knows the rules….but still asks to get into cockpit….Royal Nepal Airlines and Air Tahiti ATR to name a few!
I wonder what the definition of authorized personnel is and whether the airline can designate them. If so the chairman can probably authorize on the spot :)!
@Guarav
Community Ambassador
Look at all the pathetic sam chui fanbiys here making excuses for him
Sad to say, but I expect Starlux and its CEO to face far greater problems when they are (the airline) forcefully incorporated into Air China, and (the CEO) sent somewhere unreachable for "Reeducation". I hope that I am wrong but I see the writing on the wall, without much done here to prevent it from happening.
As to the incident itself, while regulations , however stupid, must be adhered to, it pales in comparison with...
Sad to say, but I expect Starlux and its CEO to face far greater problems when they are (the airline) forcefully incorporated into Air China, and (the CEO) sent somewhere unreachable for "Reeducation". I hope that I am wrong but I see the writing on the wall, without much done here to prevent it from happening.
As to the incident itself, while regulations , however stupid, must be adhered to, it pales in comparison with a flight I took with a certain airline not very much after 9/11, during which the cockpit door of the 767 remained open during the whole flight between Africa and JFK. The airline at the time code-shared with Delta (not anymore). I am happy to report that I have since used them many times (I still do) and that the cockpit door irregularity never happened again.
dude....i'm so confused by your whole rant.
Are you thinking this is a Chinese airline and not a Taiwanese one?!?
Good. Sam Chui is a biased, dishonest sycophant. Airline that suck up to him deserve to be punished.
I’m sure the chairman knew of the potential fine but figured for the cost of it Sam’s video coverage would more than outweigh its cost…
I have taken your quote ad verbatim "First let me say that Taiwan’s rule prohibiting anyone from entering the cockpit is just plain stupid, in my opinion".
It's not stupid, but Taiwan is regarded by China as a break-away province and during the '70"s and '80's there were incidents of hijackings between China and Taiwan.The Taiwan Government still is today on a war footing with China ( and vice versa), which goes back decades...
I have taken your quote ad verbatim "First let me say that Taiwan’s rule prohibiting anyone from entering the cockpit is just plain stupid, in my opinion".
It's not stupid, but Taiwan is regarded by China as a break-away province and during the '70"s and '80's there were incidents of hijackings between China and Taiwan.The Taiwan Government still is today on a war footing with China ( and vice versa), which goes back decades and there's still many security arrangements applicable as regards to the China-Taiwan state of affairs.It's not stupid,but what is stupid is that I,as an Schengen passport holder but living in the USA , still need up today (May the 10th,2023) to show an inoculation certificate for the none existent Covid whereas any American or Green Card holder can fly in and out of the US without having a certificate, now that is real stupid.
Not surprised, Taiwan is so behind on practically everything. It used to be the head of Asian’s four dragon. Now, it couldn’t even see the tail of the third dragon. Vey sad, indeed.
I read this review, and I believe the aircraft was doing a media promo over by cargo at LAX.
These fines are nothing, but result in millions of dollars of free press.
If you think one photo with this idiot (who people that know anything about aviation ignore because his reviews are just biased towards whoever gives him something free) would do anything you know as much about aviation as it shows you do
This. 100%.
What a joke!!!!! WOW !!!! (again)
Starlux operating like an amatuer LCC.
It's not like this is the chairman's first exposure to an airline.
Starlux just fall from very interesting airline to try down to another wanna be player, right above those real fictitious startups.
Bring em on haters :)
Is that Bobby Lee?
The chairman must be more than happy to pay for a relatively insignificant fine in contrast to all the free publicity he and the company are now being given.
Sam is generally one of the most insistent and annoying passengers that an airline will come across. I'm sure he wouldn't take no for an answer on the cockpit photo and now landed Starlux a fine for his behavior. I wish more airlines would ban folks like him as he is generally unpleasant to be around when doing his self-promoting 'work'
$2k fine would just come out of marketing budget.
That guy is so annoying. Would rather read Ben’s reviews than his VLOGS.
Sam Chui could've also been considered as a contractor for review's purpose ;)
That made me laugh out loud!
This maybe the dumbest thing written on all of the internet today
I believe almost every Asian country got this no cockpit rule in their operating handbook.
The media coverage from Sam is likely worth more than the $2000 fine.
This is definitely the case. Paying fine is cheaper.
Some rich people can be above the law. Just pay the settlement and deny wrong doing or at worst plea no contest pay fines and get away with crime.
Not a good example for a chairman whose career is in civil aviation.
Should have let some VP as the fall guy. A lot to learn for capitalist America.
Dumb.
Sam Chui if probably the most, if not one of the more dedicated and enthusiastic travel bloggers/av geeks out there, and with this no cockpit rule (and fine), Starlux is shooting themselves in the foot. All Sam can possibly do is create good PR for Starlux, and of course he had no way of knowing about this rule...
He’s also a pain in the backside
Honestly getting sick of all these “ influencers”
How is Starlux shooting themselves in the foot? This rule was made the Taiwan aviation authorities, not Starlux.
What a sad fanboy you are, you realise his reviews are heavily biased to whoever is giving him freebies that week, nothing objective about it