A United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn back midair after a pilot realized he had forgotten his passport, delaying hundreds of passengers for hours.
Flight UA 198, a Boeing 787 jetliner, departed from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) around 2 p.m. Saturday with 257 passengers and 13 crew members aboard, according to CNN.
The flight was en route to Shanghai when the mistake was discovered. Without the necessary travel documents, the pilot could not legally enter China, forcing the aircraft to divert to San Francisco.
Approximately two hours into the flight, the plane made a U-turn over the Pacific Ocean and landed at San Francisco International Airport around 5 p.m.
United Airlines arranged for a new crew to take over the journey, providing passengers with meal vouchers and compensation. The rescheduled flight finally departed around 9 p.m., arriving in Shanghai approximately six hours behind schedule.
Frustrated travelers took to social media, with some calling the mistake "unacceptable" and "embarrassing" for a major international airline.
Shukor Yusof, founder of Singapore-based Endau Analytics, told CNN the airline's "absent-mindedness" could cost them.
The disruption did not just affect passengers on UA 198—those waiting to return from Shanghai on UA 199 also faced delays, as the incoming aircraft's late arrival pushed their departure back by about six hours.
United Airlines has not publicly commented on whether the pilot will face any disciplinary action.
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