December 9th 2025

Why big business needs regulation

Why big business needs regulation

Before our surfing holiday to Taiwan, I rang EVA Air to check their surfboard policy before booking the ticket.

I was not clear about what was on the website, and I wanted to confirm that our boards would be cleared to travel.

I spoke to an agent. As long as the linear length is under 277 cms, we would be OK. Given my board is 233.6 cm, I believed that all was well. (A Google search of linear length = The linear measurement is the distance between the two given points or objects.)

When we arrived at the airport, we were shocked to discover that the real EVA Air rule was that the length, width, and depth, added together, had to be under 277 cm.

It cost us $1100 extra to take my surfboard.

Since my return, I have been speaking to customer service, trying to explain that if the original agent had been very clear about dimensions, I would not have booked the ticket, choosing instead to fly with Singapore Airlines, which was our other option. (Actually, I lodged a complaint while we were in Taiwan, the response has been very slow. I needed to circle back to them to get any response, only adding to my bad experience with EVA Air.)

They continue to take no responsibility for the lack of detail provided by the original agent or for the false premise created for me, the customer.

The saga went on when we departed Taiwan, even though the agents that we dealt with at Brisbane airport assured us they would notify Taiwan for our return flight.

The extra time and staff resources at both inbound and outbound check-in counters are in the area of one hour each way, and three to five staff per counter. Cost, loss, stress, disappointment, frustration. All unnecessary if the agent on my original call was clear about the surfboard regulations for EVA Air.

Imagine a trip or a lifetime. You do the right thing. You take the time to call and speak to a human, the human gives you information, and on the basis of that, you book a ticket. You get to the airport and are asked to pay extra. It was the very reason you called to speak to someone in the first place. To prevent this from happening. At the beginning, they asked us to pay $1000 extra each way. Almost the cost of a seat on the plane. It was a stunning shock.

One of the agents also had the audacity to say - if you choose to continue your trip - as if we might not fly, and throw all the ongoing booked cars, accommodation and such down the toilet. Or as if this happens all the time. Maybe it does?

Imagine not having this choice. The extra fees affect your budget to travel.

This is why big business needs regulation. Because the customer is screwed every time. If they can get away with it, the company will. And they do. It is also why we need consumer protection authorities, my next port of call.

Where is decency? Fairness? Responsibility? Duty of care?

Clearly, it doesn’t matter to EVA Air.
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Photo Taken October 6th 2025, Article published December 9th 2025

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