How far did you get...

So it was a cockpit staff member. Gee, the airlines scrutinize passengers’ passports before allowing them to board, but the flight crew apparently just walks on, with or without sufficient documentation.

How frustrating for the passengers, many of whom undoubtedly were counting on landing in Singapore in time for dinner. Instead, they arrived after midnight … some must’ve had challenges getting checked in to their lodging, six hours past due. And United offered each passenger a $15 food voucher for the unscheduled layover at the San Francisco. How far did those go - maybe covered a soft drink and something small to nibble on? And who all got credit for actually having their passport for the flight?
At least the mistake by the flight personnel wasn’t the kind that results in a crash.

You know, arriving without a passport would’ve just resulted in the United employee getting turned away, and sent home. That would’ve probably worked out, unless the plane was flying on to a further foreign destination.

I wonder if the person without the Passport was a probationary employee? If they keep the job, I bet they’ll never do that again!

If you're flying a 787 long haul, you are not a probationary pilot. He/she just probably forgot.

They can't be fired for this. The union won't allow it. But they could have an official reprimand which could delay promotion.

I have a rule....with my passport, a phone and a credit card, I can get anywhere.* Those are the first three things I check for before I leave anywhere.

*--yes, I know there are some of you who like jumping on everything I write and want to point out that credit cards are not taken everywhere. Well, I'm probably not going to those types of places.

Frank II, I agree about what you can do with those 3 items. And you could even whittle it down to two if you're somewhere you can buy another(expensive) phone and it's an iPhone and your iCloud is up to date.

Last year when I was heading for the UK, I forgot my purse on the TSA conveyor belt at MSP after I picked up my other items. I walked out into the airport heading for my gate, and in about 2 minutes realized my purse was missing, which had my passport in it.

I immediately ran back but of course, you can't get back into that area, so I got the attention of one of the officers and explained my dilemma. He told me he would look, but first spent a minute mildly chastising me for using the wrong terminology (I don't even remember what I said—just that he didn't like it). But luckily he found the purse right off. Talk about a scary few moments.

With regards to the story, I'll bet the pilot was fined. They often are for infractions.

Mardee....that's funny. A few months ago at LHR, I was repacking everything after security when the people sitting next to me got up to go to their gate. I realized as they were out of earshot that they, too, had left a purse. I picked it up and gave it to a security officer sitting at a desk. A few minutes later I saw them looking for the purse. I told them I handed it in and pointed them in the direction of the security officer. He was watching and was holding it up.

They were relieved.

Once when flying back from Canada to the U.S., I left my passport on the plane. I realized when I tried to enter the U.S. I went back but of course could not go back on the plane. But fortunately, someone from the airline went on the plane and found it for me.

My friend who lives in Scotland was meeting me in Italy.
After she got to the airport…in an expensive taxi…she realized her passport was still in her scanner at home after she’d made a copy.
Another taxi back home, then another back to the airport.
Expensive start to the day!

Have told this story before. Happened ages ago. Friend and I were upstairs in a London coffee shop (closed long ago) when a couple sat down next to us. My friend ( a purse lugger ) had her purse next her on the bench. After a few minutes the woman screams and says “we are leaving”, they get up and go. My friend and I finish our coffees and head to a nearby bookstore. At the counter friend realizes her wallet is gone. We walk outside and see two Bobbie’s. Explain. They advise filing a report at the station. We do that then call the US Embassy ( mind you it’s Christmas Eve day. We are flying out on Christmas Day) .

Get the nicest call back from an Embassy employee who gives us his name and phone number and instructs us to get to airline desk early and tell staff of why she has no passport or ID.
We do. Staff phones him and we are allowed to board the plane. To this day the joke between my friend and I is she should have married the man.

Last part of the story was arriving at SFO and explaining to security there. We still laugh about the security questions were. One was what’s the capital of the State of Washington. Little did they know she’d was born and raised there and the second was about baseball, specifically the SF Giants. Can you name the brothers who played in the outfield together in the outfield. She was and still is a die hard SF Giants fan. Easy peasy

Bet she could have named the entire roster as well.
Ah security pre 9/11.

We have a routine we go through on every trip we take, without fail.

Before exiting our house, one of the last things we do is count our bags - touch each one in turn and count out loud the number. Bags go out the door together and into the airport ride. Door to the house is locked, double-checked, and into the ride we go.

Before we roll, all of the following are done: Bags in the ride are again touched and counted out loud. We physically touch and call out "passport, wallet, phone/tablet, keys" and any other critical item stowed in a bag, pocket or not (if stowed, we find it and touch it, calling it out by name). I have what I call "the diplomatic pouch" containing all trip plans/receipts on paper (also have electronic versions on phones, iPads). All are accounted for before the driver puts the car in gear. Every time. We also have checklists for all these things which we refer to as we pack and prepare to leave.

That United pilot failed to use his checklist (a critical tool mandated for pilots) - tsk tsk, hope he doesn't fail to do that once he's at the workplace.

Funny this post comes up now. Our travel partners were coming from Florida to stay with us in NY since we were on the same flight to Tokyo. On his check in at the airport he realized he forgot his passport. Luckily a relative drove them. He had to call her, explain where in his house the passport was (still in his office safe), and have her drive back to the airport.
Luck was definitely on his side as one, he always gets there super early and two, the airport is a short drive. What a disaster that would have been.
PS, this just happened last week.

First trip to Europe in 1973 with my roommate. We were heading back home from Heathrow and had gone into the liquor store area. My roommate wanted to buy a bottle of Cherry Heering (bleach!). It was bought, stuffed into her open tote bag and we headed to our gate (days of no problems with liquids). For some reason she checked her passport and it was not there. We raced back to the liquor store searched everywhere and by this time she was crying. The very sweet manager helped us look and finally got down on his hands and knees to look UNDER the display and yes...there it was! She had been walking around with an open tote bag and it must have fallen out when she bent over to pick up the bottle.

That taught me a life lesson!

Except for me, sub in passport for testicles although it doesn't rhyme.

https://youtu.be/YqXZ9YoRD50?si=pgdLW0_xH-hpa9ji

This is the “nightmare” I have starting about 2 weeks before every trip..