A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Shanghai, China, was forced to turn back mid-air at an altitude of 32,000 feet for an unexpected reason.
The pilot had forgotten his passport.
The international flight, which had a total duration of approximately 14 hours, was about two hours from its destination when the crew made the decision to divert. Instead of continuing to Shanghai, the aircraft was redirected to San Francisco, where passengers were informed of a “crew-related problem.”
To compensate for the inconvenience, passengers were given meal vouchers. Airlive.net later shared a message issued to travelers, stating: “Your flight was diverted to San Francisco due to an unexpected crew-related issue that required new crew. After their arrival, we will return you to Shanghai as soon as possible.”
United Airlines also released a statement, saying, “We sincerely apologize for this disruption and appreciate your patience.”