A United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn back mid-flight after a pilot realized they had forgotten their passport.
Flight UA198, a Boeing 787 carrying 270 passengers, was already over the Pacific Ocean on Saturday when it had to reroute to San Francisco, according to flight tracking data.
United Airlines confirmed the incident in an email to AFP on Tuesday, stating that the stop was necessary because “the pilot did not have their passport onboard.”
To minimize delays, the airline arranged for a new crew to take passengers to Shanghai later that evening. Affected travelers received meal vouchers and compensation, though specific details were not disclosed.
Flight data showed that the aircraft eventually landed at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport after midnight, approximately six hours behind schedule.
The incident occurred amid ongoing travel disruptions worldwide, including delays at London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest hub, following a major power outage the previous day.