Latest news with #YangShuhan
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
This International Flight Had to Turn Around After an Embarrassing Mistake By the Pilot
There are a lot of things that can cause a flight to get diverted. Be it bad weather, air traffic control issues, or an onboard emergency, the list goes on and on. And for the most part, they're all pretty understandable. However, in late March, a plane had to turn around while en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai, for one seriously frustrating reason for passengers and one epically embarrassing one for the pilot. According to CNN, the United Airlines Boeing 787 had to make a U-turn when one of the plane's pilots realized they had forgotten their passport at home. The blunder wasn't discovered until about two hours into the flight over the Pacific Ocean. As Yang Shuhan, one of the passengers on the flight, told CNN, she heard the pilot come over the intercom to share they had forgotten his passport in a 'very frustrated' tone. Once the plane made its turn, it was redirected to San Francisco, landing about three hours after takeoff back on the same coast it started on. 'The pilot did not have their passport onboard,' United said in a statement shared to multiple media outlets. 'We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.' The plane's 257 passengers were then boarded onto a new flight with a new crew, which took off from San Francisco and landed in Shanghai with about a six-hour delay, which all and all is pretty solid following a fumble like this. While the meal and compensation are nice, it is key to always know your rights as a traveler if your flight is diverted like this. As United's Contract of Carriage explains, in the event of a Force Majeure Event (an event outside of its control), "UA without notice, may cancel, terminate, divert, postpone, or delay any flight, right of carriage or reservations (whether or not confirmed) and determine if any departure or landing should be made, without any liability on the part of UA." It added that it "may re-accommodate Passengers on another available UA flight or on another carrier or combination of carriers, or via ground transportation, or may refund." And as the Department of Transportation previously shared with Travel + Leisure, "as long as passengers were ultimately transported to their destinations, the Department does not view the refund requirement as applying to these diversion situations." Which is exactly what happened here. But let this be a lesson to us all to make sure we properly keep track of our travel documents. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Goober Pilot Forgets Passport, Forces Plane Bound For China To Turn Around Mid-Flight
Do you know that feeling of getting all the way to work and then realizing you left your cell phone at home? Well, multiply that by a trillion and you're about halfway to how one pilot felt after realizing he forgot his passport two hours into a trip to China. A United Airlines 787 flying from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to head back to the U.S. after one of the pilots noticed he didn't have his passport on him, NBC News reports. United Flight 198 left LAX around 2 p.m. on March 22 with 257 passengers and 13 crew members onboard. About two hours into the flight, the plane pulled a U-turn and was redirected to San Francisco, where it landed around 5 p.m., according to CNN. The airline issued the following statement to news outlets: "The pilot did not have their passport onboard," United said in the statement. "We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation." Read more: John Oliver Explains How All Of Boeing's Problems Can Be Traced Back To Stock Buybacks And Incompetent Leadership After the whole passport debacle was sorted out, the flight with a new crew took off from SFO around 9 p.m. and landed in Shanghai about six hours behind schedule. Here's a bit more on the experience of those onboard the flight, from a passenger who spoke with CNN: 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 landing in San Francisco, Yang received two meal vouchers totaling $30, which she used for a meal at a Japanese restaurant in the airport. She said she also filed a compensation claim on United's website, where she was informed to expect a response within 14 business days. Another passenger told CNN that she appreciates the "honesty" of the pilot, but she's probably in the minority. Many other passengers complained on RedNote, a Chinese social media site, saying they were "outraged" and "speechless": "How could someone mess up this badly at work?" read a popular RedNote post appearing to be from another Chinese passenger on board. The post has gotten more than 10,000 likes. UA198 wasn't the only flight to get messed up because of this error. UA199, the reverse trip from Shanghai to Los Angeles, was also affected because the plane showed up so late. It has not been a banner couple of years for United or the aviation industry as a whole. Since the beginning of 2024, we've told you about a 737 Max hitting a coyote, a flight being diverted because some barfed so much it created a "biohazard", a plane gushing fluid before landing, a near-mid air collision that injured two passengers, and how the wheel of a 777 smashed through a parking lot after falling off during takeoff. It's been a rough few months for my favorite airline. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
CNN
27-03-2025
- CNN
United Airlines plane turns around after pilot forgets passport
Source: CNN A United Airlines Boeing 787 jetliner flying from Los Angeles to Shanghai had to turn around last weekend after it was discovered one of the pilots had taken off without a passport, the airline told CNN in a statement. Flight UA 198 departed LAX at around 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, with 257 passengers and 13 crew onboard and headed northwest over the Pacific Ocean, bound for China's largest city. About two hours later, the plane turned around and was redirected to San Francisco, where it landed around 5 p.m. local time, according to the website FlightAware. 'The pilot did not have their passport onboard,' United said in the statement. 'We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.' The flight with the new crew took off around 9 p.m. and landed in Shanghai about six hours behind 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 landing in San Francisco, Yang received two meal vouchers totaling $30, which she used for a meal at a Japanese restaurant in the airport. She said she also filed a compensation claim on United's website, where she was informed to expect a response within 14 business days. The traveler from Hangzhou, in eastern China, was on her way back from a business trip. After reaching Shanghai at 12:43 a.m. on Monday, she still had to drive another two and a half hours, she said, leaving her exhausted. While the unexpected delay threw a wrench in her Monday working plans, Yang said she appreciated the pilot's 'honesty.' However, many of her fellow passengers grumbled and said they were 'outraged' and 'speechless' on RedNote, China's Instagram-like platform. 'How could someone mess up this badly at work?' read a popular RedNote post appearing to be from another Chinese passenger on board. The post has gotten more than 10,000 likes. The disruptions didn't stop with UA 198; passengers on the returning flight, UA 199 from Shanghai to Los Angeles, were also affected due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft. A Shanghai-based business traveler, who requested to stay anonymous over privacy concerns, told CNN that their LA-bound flight was also delayed for about six hours, forcing them to change their ticket to catch a connecting flight. 'I'm feeling pretty frustrated,' the person told CNN just after landing at LAX late Sunday night. 'Because of the delay, I have to reschedule all my plans for Monday, which is really inconvenient.' 'It's quite embarrassing (for United),' Shukor Yusof, founder of Singapore-based Endau Analytics, an advisory firm that focuses on the aviation industry, told CNN. He added that the mistake is 'unacceptable' for a global airline like United and it shows 'a lack of discipline.' United is one of the world's largest carriers, flying 140 million people to more than 300 destinations across six continents each year, according to the company's website. Shukor noted that the 'absent-mindedness' reflected in the incident could cost the airline dearly, taking into account the costs of things like the jet fuel they had to dump before diverting and compensation for the passengers. While a series of plane crashes involving US carriers in recent months has raised security concerns, the latest incident with United is 'more of a protocol issue,' said Shukor. Just last week, an Orthodox Jewish passenger filed a lawsuit against the airline, alleging a United pilot forcibly removed him from a lavatory while he was experiencing constipation, exposing his genitalia to others during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston. Meanwhile, a New Jersey mother blasted United for asking her to remove her 'medically complex' son's breathing tube ahead of the plane's takeoff. Her TikTok video about the incident has garnered more than 1.3 million views. See Full Web Article
USA Today
27-03-2025
- USA Today
A pilot forgot his passport, so he turned the plane around
A pilot forgot his passport, so he turned the plane around Show Caption Hide Caption Common flight maneuvers that might feel unsettling but are normal Here are three surprising flight maneuvers that feel dangerous but are completely safe. A United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn around midair Saturday after a pilot realized he had forgotten his passport, delaying passengers by several hours. Flight 198, carrying 257 passengers and 13 crew members onboard, departed Los Angeles around 1:47 p.m. local time. About two hours into the transpacific journey, the aircraft diverted to San Francisco International Airport, where it landed just after 5 p.m., according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. United Airlines confirmed to USA TODAY that he pilot did not have their passport onboard. The airline said it arranged for a new crew to take the passengers to their destination that evening. Lufthansa's first class suites finally take flight with beds, tablets and a 2-person sofa Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation, United confirmed. The new flight left San Francisco around 8:30 p.m. and landed in Shanghai approximately six hours behind schedule. Yang Shuhan, a passenger traveling home to China from a business trip, told CNN she heard the pilot's 'very frustrated voice' over the intercom, admitting he 'forgot (his) passport.'
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
‘It's quite embarrassing': China-bound United flight turns around after pilot forgets passport
A United Airlines Boeing 787 jetliner flying from Los Angeles to Shanghai had to turn around last weekend after it was discovered one of the pilots had taken off without a passport, the airline told CNN in a statement. Flight UA 198 departed LAX at around 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, with 257 passengers and 13 crew onboard and headed northwest over the Pacific Ocean, bound for China's largest city. About two hours later, the plane turned around and was redirected to San Francisco, where it landed around 5 p.m. local time, according to the website FlightAware. 'The pilot did not have their passport onboard,' United said in the statement. 'We arranged for a new crew to take our customers to their destination that evening. Customers were provided with meal vouchers and compensation.' The flight with the new crew took off around 9 p.m. and landed in Shanghai about six hours behind 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 landing in San Francisco, Yang received two meal vouchers totaling $30, which she used for a meal at a Japanese restaurant in the airport. She said she also filed a compensation claim on United's website, where she was informed to expect a response within 14 business days. The traveler from Hangzhou, in eastern China, was on her way back from a business trip. After reaching Shanghai at 12:43 a.m. on Monday, she still had to drive another two and a half hours, she said, leaving her exhausted. While the unexpected delay threw a wrench in her Monday working plans, Yang said she appreciated the pilot's 'honesty.' However, many of her fellow passengers grumbled and said they were 'outraged' and 'speechless' on RedNote, China's Instagram-like platform. 'How could someone mess up this badly at work?' read a popular RedNote post appearing to be from another Chinese passenger on board. The post has gotten more than 10,000 likes. The disruptions didn't stop with UA 198; passengers on the returning flight, UA 199 from Shanghai to Los Angeles, were also affected due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft. A Shanghai-based business traveler, who requested to stay anonymous over privacy concerns, told CNN that their LA-bound flight was also delayed for about six hours, forcing them to change their ticket to catch a connecting flight. 'I'm feeling pretty frustrated,' the person told CNN just after landing at LAX late Sunday night. 'Because of the delay, I have to reschedule all my plans for Monday, which is really inconvenient.' 'It's quite embarrassing (for United),' Shukor Yusof, founder of Singapore-based Endau Analytics, an advisory firm that focuses on the aviation industry, told CNN. He added that the mistake is 'unacceptable' for a global airline like United and it shows 'a lack of discipline.' United is one of the world's largest carriers, flying 140 million people to more than 300 destinations across six continents each year, according to the company's website. Shukor noted that the 'absent-mindedness' reflected in the incident could cost the airline dearly, taking into account the costs of things like the jet fuel they had to dump before diverting and compensation for the passengers. While a series of plane crashes involving US carriers in recent months has raised security concerns, the latest incident with United is 'more of a protocol issue,' said Shukor. Just last week, an Orthodox Jewish passenger filed a lawsuit against the airline, alleging a United pilot forcibly removed him from a lavatory while he was experiencing constipation, exposing his genitalia to others during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston. Meanwhile, a New Jersey mother blasted United for asking her to remove her 'medically complex' son's breathing tube ahead of the plane's takeoff. Her TikTok video about the incident has garnered more than 1.3 million views.
