A United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai faced an unexpected delay when it had to turn around mid-flight for a surprising reason—a missing passport.
Flight UA 198, a Boeing 787 aircraft carrying 257 passengers and 13 crew members, departed Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at approximately 2:00 p.m. on 22 March. About two hours into the journey, the plane was redirected to San Francisco after it was discovered that one of the pilots had forgotten their passport.
Photo via Realterm
United Airlines confirmed the incident, explaining, "The pilot did not have their passport onboard. We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation."
The flight landed in San Francisco around 5:00 p.m., where passengers were given meal vouchers worth USD 30 while waiting for the replacement crew. One passenger, Yang Shuhan, recalled hearing the pilot’s announcement delivered in a "very frustrated voice," admitting to forgetting the essential travel document.
With a new crew on board, the flight finally departed from San Francisco at approximately 9:00 p.m., arriving in Shanghai about six hours behind schedule.
While passengers eventually reached their destination, the incident highlights how even small oversights can lead to major disruptions in international travel.
