In a rare aviation mishap, United Airlines Flight 198 from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn around mid-flight on March 22, 2025, after one of the pilots realized he had forgotten his passport. The Boeing 787-9, carrying 257 passengers and 13 crew members, had been airborne for approximately two hours when the oversight was discovered. WRTV Indianapolis+5Jalopnik+5People.com+5Travel + Leisure+6Business Insider+6Fox Business+6
The flight, which departed from Los Angeles International Airport at 2:00 p.m. local time, diverted to San Francisco International Airport, landing around 5:00 p.m. United Airlines arranged for a replacement crew, and the flight resumed its journey to Shanghai later that evening, arriving about six hours behind schedule. Business Insider+3Jalopnik+3San Francisco Chronicle+3Fox Business+8People.com+8Jalopnik+8
Passengers expressed frustration over the unexpected delay. One traveler shared on social media, “UA198 diverted to SFO because the pilot forgot his passport? Now stuck 6+ hours. Completely unacceptable.” San Francisco Chronicle+3People.com+3Business Insider+3The Guardian+2Fox Business+2People.com+2
United Airlines issued an apology for the disruption, stating, “We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.” SFGATE+9Fox Business+9The Guardian+9
This incident highlights the critical importance of pre-flight checks and the potential consequences of human error in aviation operations.New York Post+4SFGATE+4Travel + Leisure+4
