United flight turns around after pilot forgets passport

UNITED BOEING 777-322 N2341U (MSN 63721)

A United Airlines Boeing 787 jetliner flying from Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) to Shanghai PVG/ZSPD) had to turn around last weekend after it was discovered one of the pilots had taken off without a passport, the airline told the media in a statement.

Flight UA 198 departed LAX at around 2 p.m. on Saturday from runway 25 right with 257 passengers and 13 crew onboard and headed northwest over the Pacific Ocean, bound for Shanghai.

Almost two hours into the flight the plane turned around and was redirected to San Francisco (SFO/KSFO), where it landed at 4.55 p.m. local time, on runway 28 left according to Flightradar24.

“The pilot did not have their passport onboard,” United said in the statement. “We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.”

The flight with the new crew took off around 9 p.m. from runway 28 left and landed in Shanghai about six hours behind schedule. Yang Shuhan, a Chinese passenger on board, told reporters that she heard the pilot’s “very frustrated voice” over the intercom, saying he “forgot his passport.”

The disruptions didn’t stop with UA 198; passengers on the returning flight, UA 199 from Shanghai to Los Angeles, were also affected due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft.

A Shanghai-based business traveler, who requested to stay anonymous over privacy concerns, said that their LA-bound flight was also delayed for about six hours, forcing them to change their ticket to catch a connecting flight.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: United Airlines

Code: UA/UAL

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 

Registration: N35953

Serial Number: 36404

Engines: 2 x GENX-1B75/P2

First Flew: 7th February 2015

Age 10.1 Years