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United Flight to China Forced to Turn Around Because Pilot Forgot Their Passport
Passengers were given $15 meal vouchers for the totally avoidable redirect that didn't occur until two hours into the flight. The post United Flight to China Forced to Turn Around Because Pilot Forgot Their Passport appeared first on The Drive.
I am absolutely the most forgetful person I know. That being said, I don’t think I’m forgetful enough to leave my passport at home when traveling abroad, especially if I was the one flying the plane. Unfortunately, passengers on United Airlines flight UA198 recently had to pay for the irresponsibility of a pilot who didn’t realize they’d forgotten their passport until two hours into a 13-and-a-half-hour trip from Los Angeles to Shanghai.
After two hours in the air, flight UA198 had to turn its 257 passengers around and head to San Francisco. When it landed, United arranged for a new crew to board the plane and head toward Shanghai. According to a Redditor, this is the message passengers aboard UA198 received from United: “UA198 SFO-PVG: 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.”
Naturally, the passengers who were forced to waste several hours in the air only to end up back in California wanted compensation. However, members of the /rUnitedAirlines subreddit claim that passengers only got a $15 meal voucher for their inconvenience.
A United Airlines spokesperson told The Drive, “On Saturday, United flight 198 from Los Angeles to Shanghai landed at San Francisco International Airport as the pilot did not have their passport onboard. We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.”
OK, so this isn’t great but things happen. People make mistakes. Surely, this is a rare occurrence, right? Unfortunately, this is actually the second time a United Airlines pilot forgot their passport this month, according to Business Insider. I don’t know how United checks their pilots’ passports but it seems like that process needs to improve.
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The post United Flight to China Forced to Turn Around Because Pilot Forgot Their Passport appeared first on The Drive.
