Washington ( CNN ) -- If there 's a contest for worst travel experience of the year , United Airlines Flight 857 might be in the running . The plane departed San Francisco on Sunday for a 13-hour trip to Shanghai . But most of the 262 passengers did n't get to China until Tuesday evening -- three days late -- after an unplanned and prolonged layover in Anchorage , Alaska . About three hours into the flight , the United jetliner was diverted to Anchorage because of broken bathrooms . When a replacement plane arrived Monday , it also was grounded because of mechanical problems , prompting most of the passengers to catch a third plane Tuesday . `` It was just one thing after the other , '' said Kristin Bishop , who was on a business trip from Chicago . `` It was honestly unbelievable . We could n't believe it . It definitely was the flight from hell . '' Flight 857 shows the impact -- and limits -- of the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights , designed to protect passengers from being held on tarmac-bound jets . In this instance , United appeared to go to great lengths to avoid violating the tarmac rule , which fines airlines if they keep passengers on ground-bound planes more than four hours , with some exceptions . But a string of delays and mechanical problems plagued the voyage almost from the very beginning . Passengers said the the flight left San Francisco at 2 p.m. Sunday , and the first inkling of trouble came three hours later , when the pilot announced a detour to Anchorage because of problems with several of the Boeing 777 's lavatories . According to Bishop , the captain announced , `` You may have noticed some lavatories are n't working . We 're making an unplanned stop in Anchorage . '' When the plane landed , Bishop said , the passengers sat for an hour and a half before they were allowed to get off and wait in a secure area . That wait lasted about four hours , Bishop said , before they got word that the flight was canceled and that a replacement plane would arrive the next day . `` They told us to wait in line and get our meal and hotel vouchers . But it just took them hours and hours to make that announcement , and there was only one guy handing out the vouchers , '' Bishop said . `` And they were checking us off one-by-one , so it took like 10 minutes per person to get your voucher , and there was like 280 of us , I believe . '' When all was said and done , passengers got one $ 12 meal voucher , Bishop said . Bishop said she was issued her hotel voucher shortly after midnight , and the airline refused to release people 's luggage , which contained clothing and medication . The bad luck continued Monday . When passengers arrived at 11 a.m. for the 1 p.m. flight , they were informed that the flight had been delayed 2Â½ hours , Bishop said . Once on the second plane , they waited a couple more hours before the captain made an announcement . `` They announced that that plane also has broke down , '' Bishop said . `` The captain acknowledged that it was ironic , which is one way to put it . '' Passengers were told that another replacement plane would arrive Tuesday . Bishop said she opted to catch a red-eye plane back . For several dozen passengers who opted to take that overnight flight to San Francisco , there was added drama when lightning harmlessly struck their plane . In a statement Wednesday , United said it provided its customers with hotel accommodations and meal options and provided a different Boeing 777 aircraft . It made no mention of that aircraft 's mechanical problems . `` We sincerely apologize to our customers for the delays and are fully refunding their tickets . We are also actively reaching out to our customers to offer additional compensation , '' the statement read . A Department of Transportation spokesman said Wednesday that the agency had received one complaint . `` We sent the complaint to United and asked them to reply to the passenger , '' Bill Mosley said . Meanwhile , Bishop says she still does n't have her luggage . `` The luggage is in China . Hopefully , I 'll get it back , '' she said .
Flight from San Francisco to Shanghai landed after lavatories broke . Replacement plane also had mechanical problems . Comment: The planes aren't designed for long flights United apologizes , says it is reaching out to customers .