DUBAI: Passengers on United Airlines Flight UA198 from Los Angeles to Shanghai found themselves unexpectedly back on US soil after an unusual oversight forced their aircraft to turn around midair.
Roughly two hours into its transpacific journey on Saturday afternoon, the Boeing 787 had to divert to San Francisco when one of the pilots discovered they did not have their passport onboard.
Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed the aircraft had departed Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at around 1:47PM but began its return shortly after crossing the Pacific. It landed at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) just after 5PM. United Airlines later confirmed to multiple outlets, including CNN and AFP, that a passport issue led to the unscheduled stop.
What happened on Flight UA198?
With 257 passengers and 13 crew members onboard, the flight had already made significant progress over the ocean when the pilot’s realisation forced the aircraft to turn around. United quickly arranged for a new crew to take over the journey, allowing the plane to depart again later that evening. The flight eventually reached Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport after midnight – approximately six hours behind schedule.
United Airlines stated that affected passengers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation, though the exact amount was not disclosed. One passenger, identified as Yang Shuhan, told CNN she received two meal vouchers worth $30 and used them for dinner at a Japanese restaurant inside the airport while waiting for the replacement flight. She later filed a compensation claim with United and was informed she would receive a response within 14 business days.
The airline has not released further details on additional compensation for those affected by the midair passport mishap.
The delay left many passengers frustrated. Some took to Chinese social media platform RedNote to express their discontent, with one post—amassing over 10,000 likes – criticising the mistake as "unbelievable." Other passengers reportedly reacted with disbelief and frustration over the unexpected delay, which disrupted work schedules and connecting flights.
Beyond Flight UA198, the ripple effect of the mishap impacted United Airlines Flight UA199, which was set to return from Shanghai to Los Angeles. Due to the outbound flight’s delay, the return leg also faced setbacks, forcing some travellers to reschedule connecting flights upon arrival in the US.
According to the 2024 American Customer Satisfaction Index, United ranked eighth among the top 11 American airlines, with its customer satisfaction rating declining compared to the previous year – an anomaly among major carriers that otherwise saw improvements.
United Airlines operates flights to over 300 destinations across six continents and carries approximately 140 million passengers annually.