Flight to Shanghai Returns Mid-Air — Captain Forgot Passport

Flight to Shanghai Returns Mid-Air — Captain Forgot Passport, Causing 6-Hour Delay

In a bizarre turn of events on March 22, United Airlines flight UA198 from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn back mid-air, reportedly because the captain forgot his passport.

Check our latest video on China Visa and foreign-related knowledge!

Follow our channel for updates 👇

The flight had been airborne for about three hours when it was diverted and made a precautionary landing at San Francisco International Airport at 4:51 PM local time. The aircraft landed safely, but passengers were left stunned and delayed.

Mr. Yu, one of the passengers, told reporters that the in-flight announcement stated "forget passport" and repeated in Chinese that the plane had to return because the captain did not have his passport. By then, approximately two hours had already passed since departure.

After landing in San Francisco, the airline issued $30 meal vouchers to each passenger. The delay extended for about three hours at the airport before reboarding began. One passenger, originally connecting through Los Angeles from San Francisco, found themselves unexpectedly back where they started. When the announcement played, "Welcome to San Francisco," laughter reportedly broke out across the cabin.

Mr. Yu noted that the detour and delay had thrown off the entire itinerary — what was meant to be a Sunday evening arrival in Shanghai at 6:30 PM Beijing time is now expected around 12:30 AM on Monday.

The latest flight tracking updates confirm the plane has since taken off again. On March 22, the aircraft had also operated a flight from New York to Los Angeles, and its next scheduled journey from Shanghai to LA on March 23 is already marked delayed.

Meanwhile, affected passengers have begun seeking rebookings via social media. Aviation insiders estimate the fuel dumped to enable the emergency landing may have cost up to 300,000 RMB.

Source: 上观新闻, 极目新闻

Get daily news, tips, and events in Shanghai

Connect with expat communities and industry experts

For the latest jobs&policy updates, scan the code below to follow AnyJob! 

If you have any questions about China visa applications (work visa, company registration and more), please contact our visa consultant Lisa.

Click "Wow" if you like this article