Passport blunder forces LA‑Shanghai flight U‑turn
Passengers on the flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai encountered exceptionally bad luck when they were redirected to a US airport after two hours of travel. The reason for this situation was the pilot's absent-mindedness, as he forgot to take his passport.
The United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai was disrupted when one of the pilots discovered he was missing his passport. The plane took off from LAX on Saturday, 22nd March, at 6 PM GMT but had to return to San Francisco after two hours of flying over the Pacific.
Reactions from passengers
Passengers were surprised and dissatisfied with the situation. Yang Shuhan, one of the travellers, quoted by NYPost, recalled that the pilot announced over the intercom that he had forgotten his passport. Upon landing in San Francisco at 9 PM GMT, passengers received meal vouchers worth £12 and compensation.
New crew and delays
Upon arriving in San Francisco, it became apparent that the crew would exceed their permissible working hours to legally operate such a long flight. Consequently, passengers were taken off the plane, and United Airlines had to bring in a new crew. Ultimately, the flight resumed at 1 AM GMT. The plane reached Shanghai with a six-hour delay. United Airlines, in a communication to passengers, did not mention the passport, stating only an "unexpected crew issue."
Criticism and consequences
The incident sparked a wave of criticism on social media. One passenger on the Chinese social platform Rednote expressed amazement at how such a mistake could happen at work. Another user on platform X criticised United Airlines for "completely unacceptable" conduct. It is difficult to find words of understanding for the unfortunate pilot in the comments.
Understandably, the situation raises certain questions: How could such an oversight occur and what would have happened if the pilot hadn't realised he was without the document during the flight?
Pilots and flight attendants are not required to present passports before departure on international routes. They only confirm they have the necessary documents during check-in.
If the pilot had reached Chinese territory without a passport, he could have been detained and deported, and United Airlines would face a hefty fine, so the decision to turn back from the route was necessary.
Delays in return flights
The delay also affected the return flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles. One of the travellers had to change their ticket to make their next connection. Shukor Yusof from Endau Analytics described the situation as "embarrassing" and "unacceptable" for a global airline.
