Latest news with #Shanghai-bound
Express Tribune
25-03-2025
- Express Tribune
United Airlines pilot forgets passport, forces LAX-Shanghai flight to turn around mid-air—Passengers get $15 coupon
A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, US December 6, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS In a bizarre travel mishap, a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai had to turn back mid-air after one of its pilots realized they had forgotten their passport. The unexpected detour caused major delays and sparked outrage among the 257 passengers, especially after the airline handed out just $15 meal vouchers as compensation. Flight UA198, a Boeing 787-9, took off from LAX at 2:00 PM on March 22, 2025, only to reverse course two hours later, landing in San Francisco around 5:00 PM. The reason? One of the four pilots onboard couldn't legally enter China without a passport—an oversight that turned into a six-hour headache for travelers. A United Airlines plane made a U-turn two hours into the flight, after the pilot realized they forgot their passport The 257 passengers were given a $15 coupon — Dexerto (@Dexerto) March 24, 2025 Social media lit up with passenger frustration. 'UA198 diverted to SFO because the pilot forgot his passport? Now stuck for over six hours. Completely unacceptable. United, what compensation are you offering for this total mishandling?' wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter). Another chimed in sarcastically: '$15 at an airport? That gets you a bottle of water and half a granola bar!' After securing a new crew, the rescheduled flight finally took off from San Francisco at 8:28 PM, landing in Shanghai at 12:48 AM on March 24—more than six hours behind schedule. United confirmed the incident, stating: 'On Saturday, flight UA198 from Los Angeles to Shanghai landed at San Francisco International Airport because the pilot did not have their passport onboard. We arranged for a new crew to transport customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.' The blunder isn't an isolated incident—just a week earlier, another United pilot forgot their passport before a Shanghai-bound flight, causing a delay. These repeated missteps have passengers and aviation insiders alike questioning the airline's pre-flight protocols. As one Reddit user suggested, 'They have checklists for everything—fuel, maintenance, safety. Maybe add 'Do you have your passport?' to the list!' While passengers in Europe could have received up to $650 for a preventable delay of this scale, U.S. travelers were left with snacks and simmering frustration. The takeaway? Even the skies aren't safe from human error—and sometimes, it costs you more than just time.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
YAHOO POLL: Should passengers be allowed to take their shoes off during flights?
We've all experienced uncomfortable moments on flights, but what happens when a passenger's behaviour crosses the line? A recent incident aboard a Singapore Airlines flight, where a passenger was reportedly caught exposing his bare feet inappropriately, has stirred up a storm of opinions on air travel etiquette. Many travellers shared their frustration over this breach of airplane etiquette. Other polls YAHOO POLL: Is the danger of power banks on flights overblown? YAHOO POLL: Are you open to embracing more diversity in Singapore's public spaces? YAHOO POLL: Do you think there's a need for another public holiday in Singapore? Some sympathetic people think it's a harmless faux pas, while others couldn't hold back their opinions about how rude – and even downright gross and unsanitary – the behaviour was. Bare feet on a flight is one of the many things that divide us! Is it a health risk? Or is it just a quirky personal choice? Whether you've experienced something similar or just have strong feelings about basic plane etiquette, we want to hear your thoughts. So, what's your take? Should we call out such behaviour, or are we all being a little too sensitive? Let's find out where you stand! Have your say and take the poll. Related: Passenger's gross behaviour sparks yet another debate about plane etiquette: 'So many disgusting people in this world' 'Disgusting' flight photo provokes fierce debate about plane travel etiquette The worst-behaved travellers of 2024 The five worst types of air passenger, according to a flight attendant Annoying things that happen on a plane, ranked Singapore Airlines: Two passengers booted out of Shanghai-bound flight for 'verbally and physically' abusing cabin crew
