United Airlines Pilot Turns Plane Around For His Forgotten Passport

Roommates, weigh in on this one! United Airlines is going viral after a pilot turned an international flight headed to China back around. And what was the reason? The pilot left his passport behind. But the internet is really chattin’ about what the company decided to offer the passengers on the delayed flight.

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Here’s What Happened In The United Airlines Incident

According to NBC Los Angeles, the flight incident happened on Saturday, March 22. The United Airlines plane was traveling toward Shanghai, China. It departed from Los Angeles at around 2 p.m. Two hours in the sky, one of the pilots realized his passport was back in the U.S.

Additionally, the plane was diverted to the San Francisco International Airport and landed at around 5 p.m. local time. About 270 people were on the plane then, including 257 passengers and 13 crew members. After landing in San Francisco, a new crew boarded, and the airline resumed its travel to China. It reportedly landed about six hours behind schedule.

“The pilot did not have their passport onboard,” United Airlines said in a statement, per CNN. “We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening.”

Additionally, the airline said it offered its passengers “meal vouchers and compensation.”

Passenger Reveals Experience With Airlines Offer

However, several passengers, including Yang Shuhan, have already spoken about how United Airlines handled the pilot incident. Yang told CNN that United Airlines only offered her two meal vouchers, totaling $30. She spent the vouchers on a Japanese meal at the airport. Yang took it further by complaining to United Airlines through their website. The company has given her a 14-day time frame for a response.

Air Travel Has Been In Shambles In 2025 

According to CNN, UA is one of the largest air-bound companies in global travel, with about 140 million passengers across six continents every year. Air travel has been concerning in recent weeks, with incidents ranging from crash landings to fires, missing aircraft, and even two-plane collisions.

Last month, United Airlines joined the list of flight companies that have experienced plane-related troubles. As previously reported, a flight from Houston to New York had to be evacuated for engine trouble. One wing of the plane appeared to be covered in smoke and flames.

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