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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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
