That was the situation last weekend when United Airlines flight UA 198 was routing from Los Angeles, California, to Shanghai, China. Soon, the flight would need to make a surprise U-turn. The flight departed LAX at approximately 2 pm on Saturday, March 22. Due to a crew-related issue, it needed to divert to San Francisco. At the time, flying across the Pacific Ocean, the crew realized that one of the captains did not have their passport. This led to a quick redirect.
It was an inconveniently long trip—around 13 hours of flight time. It was hit with an unforeseen emergency stop, leading to a serious incident for all 257 passengers traveling on the train. Though grounded in San Francisco for the departure of my new crew, the flight was able to depart again at 9 pm. That doomed flight never managed to leave, and it eventually reached Shanghai nearly six hours late.
Passengers expressed their dissatisfaction with the ordeal.
"Because of the delay, I have to reschedule all my plans for Monday, which is really inconvenient," said a Shanghai-based business traveler.
Another passenger voiced their frustration on social media, stating:
"Now stuck 6+ hours. Completely unacceptable. @united, what compensation are you offering for this total mishandling?"
Following the shocking incident, United Airlines has since apologized for the ugly scene.
"Hi there. We sincerely apologize for this unexpected travel disruption," communicated United's social media handle.
United Airlines further explained the diversion in a statement:
"Your flight diverted to San Francisco due to an unexpected crew-related issue requiring a new crew," stated United representatives.
In an effort to compensate for the hassle experienced by passengers, United Airlines offered $15 worth of meal vouchers in addition to compensation. Shukor Yusof, founder of Endau Analytics, the firm contracted to provide the app, condemned the incident as “embarrassing” and “unacceptable.” He stressed the need to prioritize basic aviation protocols.
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