A United Airlines flight bound for Shanghai from Los Angeles had to make an unexpected return after one of the pilots realized he had forgotten his passport. The incident, which occurred on March 22, caused significant delays and inconvenience for passengers aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Flight UA 198 departed Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) around 2 p.m. with 257 passengers and 13 crew members on board. The aircraft had been en route to China for about two hours when it was forced to turn around mid-flight. Instead of returning to LAX, the plane was diverted to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), where it landed around 5 p.m., according to flight tracking data from FlightAware.
United Airlines confirmed the reason behind the diversion in a statement, explaining that the pilot did not have their passport on board. The airline quickly arranged for a new crew to take over and complete the journey. While waiting for the replacement crew, passengers were given meal vouchers and compensation. The rescheduled flight eventually departed San Francisco around 9 p.m., reaching Shanghai approximately six hours later than originally planned.
One of the passengers, Yang Shuhan, recounted her experience, stating that she heard the pilot’s “very frustrated voice” over the intercom as he admitted to forgetting his passport. The unexpected delay caused considerable disruption to Yang’s travel plans, as she still had to endure a two-and-a-half-hour drive after landing in Shanghai at 12:43 a.m. Monday. She noted that while she appreciated the pilot’s honesty, other passengers were visibly upset. Many took to Chinese social media platform RedNote to express their frustration, with one widely shared post questioning how such a major oversight could occur.
The delays affected more than just the passengers of UA 198. The late arrival of the inbound aircraft also disrupted the return flight, UA 199, from Shanghai to Los Angeles. A business traveler affected by the delay expressed frustration over having to reschedule meetings and rearrange connecting flights, calling the situation highly inconvenient.
Aviation expert Shukor Yusof, founder of Endau Analytics, criticized the incident, describing it as “embarrassing” for United Airlines. He noted that such mistakes are unacceptable for a global carrier, emphasizing the importance of discipline among flight crews. The financial impact of the diversion was also significant, considering the additional fuel costs, passenger compensation, and operational disruptions caused by the delay.
This incident comes amid a series of controversies involving United Airlines. Recently, the airline faced legal action from a passenger who claimed a United pilot forcibly removed him from an airplane restroom. In another case, a New Jersey mother accused the airline of asking her to remove her son’s breathing tube before takeoff, an incident that gained widespread attention on social media. While the passport-related diversion is not a safety concern, it raises questions about procedural lapses and the airline’s internal protocols.
