United Flight to China Had to Return After Pilot Forgot Their Passport

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      I consider myself to be the most forgetful person I know. However, I don’t believe I would ever forget my passport when traveling internationally, especially if I were the one piloting the plane. Regrettably, passengers on United Airlines flight UA198 recently faced the consequences of a pilot's oversight, who only realized they had forgotten their passport two hours into a 13-and-a-half-hour journey from Los Angeles to Shanghai.

      After two hours in the air, flight UA198 had to return its 257 passengers to San Francisco. Upon landing, United arranged for a new crew to board the flight and continue to Shanghai. According to a Reddit user, this is the message that passengers on UA198 received from United: “UA198 SFO-PVG: Your flight has diverted to San Francisco due to an unexpected crew-related issue that required a new crew. Once they arrive, we'll ensure you’re back on your way to Shanghai as quickly as possible. We sincerely apologize for this disruption and thank you for your patience.”

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      Understandably, the passengers who spent several hours in the air only to return to California sought compensation. However, members of the /rUnitedAirlines subreddit reported that passengers received only a $15 meal voucher for their troubles.

      A spokesperson for United Airlines told The Drive, “On Saturday, United flight 198 from Los Angeles to Shanghai landed at San Francisco International Airport because the pilot did not have their passport with them. We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were given meal vouchers and compensation.”

      While this situation isn’t ideal, mistakes happen. Surely, this is a rare incident, right? Unfortunately, according to Business Insider, this is actually the second time a United Airlines pilot forgot their passport this month. It seems like United's process for checking their pilots' passports needs some enhancement.

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