On 22 March 2025, United Airlines Flight UA198 bound for Shanghai diverted to San Francisco when one pilot realized he was not carrying a passport.
Flight UA198, a Boeing 787-9 registered N35953, took off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 2:00 PM, heading for Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).
The flight, carrying 257 passengers and 13 crew members, was set for a 13.5-hour journey across the Pacific.
But just 1 hour and 45 minutes after departure, an unusual problem arose. One of the pilots realized they had forgotten their passport. This critical oversight forced the plane to divert mid-flight.
Flight Crew Must Carry Passports
International travel rules require all crew members, including pilots, to carry passports. With no way to proceed legally, the captain decided to turn back.
The aircraft diverted to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), a United hub closer than LAX at that stage. It landed at 5:00 PM after nearly three hours aloft. Passengers, understandably frustrated, received $15 meal vouchers while United scrambled to arrange a replacement crew.
By 9:00 PM, a new crew was onboard, and the flight resumed its journey. It finally reached Shanghai at 1:00 AM on March 24, approximately six hours late.
United Airlines issued an apology, stating, “We sincerely apologize for this disruption. The flight diverted due to an unexpected crew-related issue.” A spokesperson later confirmed the pilot’s missing passport was the cause.
This wasn’t United’s first passport hiccup in March. On March 14, Flight UA857 to Shanghai faced a similar issue, though it was caught before takeoff. As well as the disruption for passengers, there is also a cost to the airline.
Diverting a long-haul flight isn’t cheap, and extra fuel, crew costs, and compensation add up quickly. Plus, the delay rippled to the return flight from Shanghai.
For passengers, the ordeal was a mix of inconvenience and disbelief. One traveler remarked, “How does a pilot forget their passport?”
Aviation experts note that while rare, human error remains a factor in even the most regulated industries. United has yet to announce changes to its protocols, but this mid-air U-turn will likely prompt a closer look at crew preparedness.
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