A flight from Vietnam to South Korea was delayed for 11 hours after the pilot arrived at the airport and realized he had lost his passport

• A flight was delayed overnight after the pilot lost his passport and couldn't access parts of the airport.
• The T'way Air flight between Vietnam and South Korea was supposed to take off at 10.35 p.m., but didn't take off until 9.40 p.m. the next day as the airline tried to get a replacement document, The Korea Times reported.
• The airline said it was investigating how it happened, and said it put passengers in a hotel and gave them breakfast.
• Pilots typically go through some form of airport security and need identifying documents, just like passengers.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A flight from Vietnam to South Korea was delayed for 11 hours after the pilot arrived at the airport without his passport.

The flight, operated by 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 morning, The Korea Times reported.

An airline official told The Korea Times that that the delay was because the pilot had lost his passport, so his access to the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, where the flight was taking off from, was restricted.

Passengers had to wait as the airline tried to get a replacement passport for the pilot, the The Korea Times reported.

T'way Air said it was investigating the incident and how the pilot managed to lose their passport.

Read more: Flight attendants reveal 11 of their best travel hacks

The airline official said: "We are currently reviewing disciplinary action for the pilot. We are also negotiating compensation with the passengers."

The pilot was not identified by the airline.

Read more: A flight in India was delayed when a swarm of angry bees covered the cockpit window and attacked staff who tried to remove them

The official added that the airline gave passengers hotel rooms and breakfast during the delay, the Korea Times said.

The flight, operated on a Boeing 737, was from Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City to Incheon, in northwestern South Korea.

Pilots typically have to go through security screenings before flying, and just like passengers, they need identifying documents such as passports, although the process is generally less stringent.

Partner offer: Get a quote for insurance coverage on your next trip with World Nomad. Learn more about travel insurance here. Disclosure: World Nomads is a partner of Insider, Inc. We will receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links.