In an unusual mid-air twist, United Airlines Flight 198 en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn back after the pilot realized he had forgotten his passport.
The international flight, which departed LAX at approximately 2:00 PM on Saturday, was carrying 257 passengers and 13 crew members. Around two hours into the journey, while flying over the Pacific Ocean, the aircraft reversed course and landed at San Francisco International Airport around 5:00 PM.
Passengers were informed of the situation by the pilot, who announced over the intercom that he did not have his passport onboard—a necessary document for flight crew members entering China.
“The pilot did not have their passport onboard,” United Airlines confirmed in a statement. “We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.”
A replacement crew was quickly dispatched, and the rescheduled flight departed around 9:00 PM, landing in Shanghai approximately six hours behind schedule.
While no safety issues were involved, many passengers expressed frustration and fatigue due to the unexpected delay.