A United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai faced a significant delay last weekend when the pilot forgot their passport. United Flight 198 took off from Los Angeles International Airport around 1:47 p.m. on Saturday, but was diverted to San Francisco International Airport due to this oversight.
The flight, which was supposed to last approximately 14 hours, landed in San Francisco at 5:05 p.m. Passengers were left waiting for over three hours while the airline arranged for a new crew. The original flight crew could not continue without proper documentation, which is a requirement for international travel.
At 8:28 p.m., a new 13-member crew boarded the aircraft, and the flight finally took off again. The plane landed in Shanghai at 12:48 a.m. local time on Monday. To compensate for the delay, United Airlines provided passengers with meal vouchers and additional compensation, although the specific details of that compensation were not disclosed.
Passengers reported receiving $15 meal vouchers during the wait and were informed that the diversion was due to "unexpected crew-related issues." United Airlines has not clarified what would have happened if the pilot had landed in China without a passport or if there are existing procedures to check crew documentation before departure.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of having all necessary documentation for international travel, not just for passengers but also for flight crews.