Plane Turns Around After Pilot Forgets Passport

A Boeing 787 bound for Shanghai from Los Angeles after the pilot on board realised that he had forgotten his passport. The flight had left LAX at around 2 pm on the 22nd of March and was heading northwest over the Pacific Ocean to reach Shanghai. 

Two hours after the airliner had taken to the skies, the plane was redirected to San Francisco, arriving in the city at around 5 pm local time according to the reports. The airline issued a statement informing how the pilot did not have their passport on board the aircraft and that a new crew was arranged to take passengers to the destination. The passengers were also given meal vouchers and other compensation for the inconvenience caused to them. 

Even with all the speedy arrangements, the flight was able to resume its journey at around 9 pm and landed in Shanghai later, logging a six-hour delay in the time schedule.  Yang Shuhan, a Chinese passenger on board, told CNN that she heard the pilot’s “very frustrated voice” over the intercom, saying he “forgot (his) passport.” 

After the flight had landed in San Francisco, Yang received two meal vouchers with a total value of $30, which she had a meal at a Japanese restaurant at the airport. She also filed a compensation claim on the airline’s website, where she was told to expect a response in 14 business days. 

Yang hails from Hangzhou, a city in Eastern China, and she was on her way back from a business trip. The delay also affected her Monday work plans. While Yang appreciates the honesty of the pilot, other passengers were not very kind with their response. Many of her fellow passengers took to the Chinese social media platform called Red Note to express their dissatisfaction and outrage at the incident.