A United Airlines Flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai diverted to San Francisco after a pilot realized they forgot their passport.
The Boeing 787-9 left Los Angeles LAX Airport Saturday, March 22 2025 at 13:47 for a 13 hours and 50 minutes flight to Shanghai, China.
The aircraft (registration N35953) climbed to 32,000ft and flew for about 1 hour and 45 minutes when the crew decided to turn around over Pacific.
The airline cited the incident as a “crew-related issue” but it happened when one of the pilots realized he forgot his passport.
The flight UA198 was diverted to San Francisco. Passengers were given $15 meal vouchers to make up for the inconvenience.
A replacement crew boarded the aircraft later to resume the flight to Shanghai.
United Airlines said in a statement: “Your flight diverted to San Francisco due to an unexpected crew-related issue requiring a new crew. Once they arrive, we’ll get you back on your way to Shanghai as soon as possible. We sincerely apologize for this disruption and appreciate your patience.”
