The flight, operated by the South Korean budget airline T’way Air, was supposed to take off at 10:35 p.m. local time on Friday but ended up being delayed until 9:40 a.m. on Saturday, The Korea Times reported.
An airline official told The Korea Times that the flight was delayed because the pilot lost his passport, so his access to the airport in Ho Chi Minh City was restricted.
Passengers had to wait as the airline tried to get a replacement passport for the pilot, The Korea Times reported.
T’way Air said it was investigating the incident and how the pilot managed to lose his passport. It didn’t identify the pilot.
The airline official said: “We are currently reviewing disciplinary action for the pilot. We are also negotiating compensation with the passengers.”
The official added that the airline put passengers in hotel rooms and fed them breakfast during the delay, The Korea Times said.
The flight, operated on a Boeing 737, was from Ho Chi Minh City to Incheon, in northwestern South Korea.
Just like passengers, pilots typically have to go through security screenings before flying and need identifying documents such as passports, though the process is generally less stringent.
– Business Insider