Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight heading to China were unexpectedly delayed after the pilot’s forgotten passport led to the plane’s return to the United States.
Flight UA198, a Boeing 787 with 270 people on board, had taken off from Los Angeles en route to Shanghai on Saturday afternoon. However, just after entering the Pacific Ocean, the aircraft abruptly turned around and headed back towards San Francisco, according to flight tracking data.
United Airlines confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that the plane had to make an unscheduled stop in San Francisco because the pilot had left their passport behind. The airline stated that a new crew was arranged to continue the journey to Shanghai that evening.
“Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation,” United Airlines added in their statement, although specifics regarding the compensation were not disclosed.
The flight ultimately reached Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport around six hours later than scheduled, arriving just after midnight. The delay caused by the diversion meant that passengers arrived in Shanghai far later than originally anticipated.
This incident comes amid widespread travel disruptions, including the ongoing shutdown at London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest airport, which had faced its own setbacks due to a power outage the previous day.
While United Airlines worked to ensure passengers’ comfort and provided compensation for the inconvenience, the unusual event is a reminder of the challenges involved in international air travel.
