ANA 175 LAX-NRT turn around
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From: Melbourne
ANA 175 LAX-NRT turn around
ANA 175 LAX-NRT on Tuesday 26 December 2017 turned around after 4 hours because a United passenger was discovered on board. How did the passenger board and why did the flight turn around? Why not just take the passenger to NRT?

Joined: Apr 2008
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From: UK
Ooops! No doubt there's a lot of people having to find the answer to your first question (the "how").
Presumably the second part is related to whatever advance passenger information that the airlines have to give to the destination authorities; turning up with an unannounced passenger might attract a fine of some sort. I don't know if Japan requires such information, but that'd be my guess.
I do wonder though if the "return" counts as having left the USA or not; they're returning with a whole plane load of people whom the authorities weren't expecting.
Presumably the second part is related to whatever advance passenger information that the airlines have to give to the destination authorities; turning up with an unannounced passenger might attract a fine of some sort. I don't know if Japan requires such information, but that'd be my guess.
I do wonder though if the "return" counts as having left the USA or not; they're returning with a whole plane load of people whom the authorities weren't expecting.
Joined: Sep 2017
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From: Cape Town
Somehow this pax got past the gate staff as well as the cabin crew who check boarding passes at the doors. I am sure that many things have changed since I was airport staff but in those days we had to keep the stub of the boarding pass and keep them in piles for 20 so that we could count the boarded pax if the system went down (often). If the flight was full then you might even get a double seating error at the gates.
WRT the cabin crew at the door, distracted maybe?
WRT the cabin crew at the door, distracted maybe?
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From: Hadlow
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Hadlow

Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Reading, UK
It may be significant that United have a flight departing LAX-NRT at the same time as the ANA flight.
I believe that both airlines codeshare on the route, so the UA flight will also have an NH flight number that will likely appear on the departure boards, and vice versa.
Still no excuse for the gate staff letting the individual board, though.
I believe that both airlines codeshare on the route, so the UA flight will also have an NH flight number that will likely appear on the departure boards, and vice versa.
Still no excuse for the gate staff letting the individual board, though.
Joined: Apr 2014
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From: Korea
Dumb question: in case the passenger was supposed to travel LAX-NRT anyway, then what would be the problem with simply carrying on with the flight? I never saw immigration care about who was on which flight exactly.

Joined: Mar 2015
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From: North by Northwest
NH175 turns back after 4 hours due to United ticketed PAX
This all sounds very strange - NH175 4 hours into flight to Tokyo returns to LAX after unauthorized pax discovered - allegedly boarded with a United ticket? Assuming there has to be more to the story.
Tokyo-Bound Plane Returns to LAX After Crew Discovers ANA Passenger Boarded Wrong Flight, Airline Says | KTLA
Tokyo-Bound Plane Returns to LAX After Crew Discovers ANA Passenger Boarded Wrong Flight, Airline Says | KTLA

Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Tring, UK
I operated a flight where having been airborne for a while we found a passenger who was trying to get to a different destination with a different airline. Tracing back in the later wash-up, just as he presented his ticket at the gate, which was next to the one he should have used, the agent collapsed and in the ensuing commotion the passenger carried on to the aeroplane. By another coincidence, the same seat number was free (out of only a handful of spare seats) and what seemed like his name on the ticket was actually his original destination.
A very diligent crew member picked up that something was not quite right during the flight and examined his ticket, finding out he was meant to be about 2,000 miles away. His English was very limited and he appeared blissfully unaware of the error (and enjoying his Premium seat) so we arranged for a connecting flight to take him back to where he should have landed when we got to our final destination. To this day I think he never worked it out, although the flight was four hours longer than it should have been...
I wondered about that too - it could be a directive from a higher power as one would assume that the crew had asked for guidance in the matter?
A very diligent crew member picked up that something was not quite right during the flight and examined his ticket, finding out he was meant to be about 2,000 miles away. His English was very limited and he appeared blissfully unaware of the error (and enjoying his Premium seat) so we arranged for a connecting flight to take him back to where he should have landed when we got to our final destination. To this day I think he never worked it out, although the flight was four hours longer than it should have been...
what would be the problem with simply carrying on with the flight?
Joined: May 2004
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From: Granada, Spain
Damn good job Chrissie Teigen (who?) was on the flight or the whole stupid non-event might have passed off unnoticed...
This from abc News...
More details emerge about Chrissy Teigen's 8-hour 'flight to nowhere' - ABC News
This from abc News...
More details emerge about Chrissy Teigen's 8-hour 'flight to nowhere' - ABC News
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: California
I'm guessing there was a security imperative to return immediately.
If his checked luggage inadvertently went on a different flight perhaps that set off alarm bells.
Security procedures aren't known for their flexibility.
If his checked luggage inadvertently went on a different flight perhaps that set off alarm bells.
Security procedures aren't known for their flexibility.
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From: United States
Two brothers booked on different flights somehow got on the same Tokyo-bound plane, creating a bizarre case of confusion that forced the aircraft to return to Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday night, several hours after taking off, a U.S. government official told CBS2 Wednesday.
Nippon Airways (ANA) Flight 175 departed LAX at 11:36 a.m. Tuesday. About four hours into the flight, the plane made a U-turn over the Pacific Ocean and headed back to LAX.
“During the flight, the cabin crew became aware that one of the passengers boarded the incorrect flight and notified the pilot,” ANA said in a statement to CBS2. “As part of the airline’s security procedure, the pilot in command decided to return to the originating airport, where the passenger was disembarked.”
However, a government official told CBS2 that two brothers bound for Tokyo had been booked on different flights: one had a boarding pass for the ANA Flight 175, and another had a boarding pass for a United Airlines flight. ANA and United have a joint venture.
When the brothers tried to change seats, attendants noticed the problem....
LAX police were initially told to be ready for Flight 175’s return before it was discovered there was a mix-up that was ultimately straightened out, police said.
Nippon Airways (ANA) Flight 175 departed LAX at 11:36 a.m. Tuesday. About four hours into the flight, the plane made a U-turn over the Pacific Ocean and headed back to LAX.
“During the flight, the cabin crew became aware that one of the passengers boarded the incorrect flight and notified the pilot,” ANA said in a statement to CBS2. “As part of the airline’s security procedure, the pilot in command decided to return to the originating airport, where the passenger was disembarked.”
However, a government official told CBS2 that two brothers bound for Tokyo had been booked on different flights: one had a boarding pass for the ANA Flight 175, and another had a boarding pass for a United Airlines flight. ANA and United have a joint venture.
When the brothers tried to change seats, attendants noticed the problem....
LAX police were initially told to be ready for Flight 175’s return before it was discovered there was a mix-up that was ultimately straightened out, police said.





