In an unusual turn of events, a United Airlines flight bound for Shanghai had to make an unexpected U-turn after one of its pilots realized they had forgotten their passport. The incident occurred on March 22, 2025, during Flight UA198, which had departed from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with 257 passengers and 13 crew members on board.
The Boeing 787-9 aircraft was approximately two hours into its 13.5-hour journey over the Pacific Ocean when the oversight came to light. Without the necessary travel document, the pilot could not proceed to the destination, prompting the flight to divert to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The plane landed safely at SFO, where a replacement crew was arranged to continue the journey.
Passengers were understandably frustrated by the delay, which resulted in a six-hour setback. United Airlines issued an apology for the disruption and provided meal vouchers and compensation to affected travelers.
The flight eventually resumed its journey later that evening, arriving in Shanghai several hours behind schedule.