United Airlines flight performs U-turn after pilot forgets passport

A United Airlines flight to China had to make a dramatic U-turn after the pilot realised he didn't have his passport on the flight with him. The flight was in the air for two hours before the pilot noticed his error and had to divert, and land the plane elsewhere.

Flight UA198 had 257 passengers and 13 crew onboard when it left Los Angeles International Airport bound for Shanghai on March 22. What was due to be a 13-and-a-half-hour flight was soon disrupted due to the pilot's untimely error, leaving passengers fuming. 

The aircraft landed in San Francisco, further north than it departed. 

One gob-smacked passenger took to X to vent their frustration, where they were met with a reply from the airline - a link to a form to fill out for possible compensation. 

Some passengers were left for over six hours due to the pilot's mistake. A spokesperson for the airline said they, "sincerely apologize for the unexpected travel disruption".

Passengers were told the flight was diverted to San Francisco due to an "unexpected crew-related issue requiring a new crew." Passengers were also given a $15 (AED 55) voucher upon their unexpected arrival in San Francisco. 

@united - “UA198 diverted to SFO because the pilot forgot his passport? Now stuck 6+ hours. Completely unacceptable. @united, what compensation are you offering for this total mishandling?”

— Paramjot Singh Kalra (@ParamSinghKalra) March 23, 2025

The flight did eventually arrive in Shanghai - six hours behind schedule.