A pilot realised forgetting his passport when the international flight was already 32,000 ft in the skies. It was only about 1 hour and 45 minutes after departure that the crew learned he didn’t carry his passport, making it difficult for him to land in the foreign country. Instead of heading to the destination, the crew decided to turn around.
Flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai
The incident occurred on Boeing 787-9 which left Los Angeles LAX Airport on Saturday but never landed in Shanghai, China at the scheduled time. The passengers were informed of a “crew-related issue” when the flight was diverted to San Francisco. They were provided with meal vouchers to regret the inconvenience caused to them.
Diverted to San Francisco
It was a United Airlines flight travelling from the US airport to China. The pilot of the international flight only realised he had forgotten his passport when he was mid-air. While the duration of the total flight was nearly 14 hours, the crew decided to turn around over the Pacific a little before two hours of the journey.
The flight landed at San Francisco and a new pilot boarded the aircraft, replacing the one who skipped his passport.
Apology to passengers
While reporting the incident, Airlive.net shared the message issued to passengers when the flight suddenly rerouted to San Francisco instead of Shanghai. The note, read, “Your flight diverted to San Francisco due to an unexpected crew-related issue requiring a new crew. Once they arrive, we’ll get you back on your way to Shanghai as soon as possible”. “We sincerely apologize for this disruption and appreciate your patience”, United Airline stated further.
