A delayed United Airlines flight with more than 200 passengers finally left Shanghai Saturday morning, after being stranded for three days following mechanical problems, an airline official said.

Passengers were supposed to leave on Wednesday for Newark, New Jersey, but a technical problem on the Boeing 777 saw the flight delayed.

United said repairs took place on Wednesday and Thursday, but the flight encountered another delay on Friday due to limits on crew duty hours.

The airline said it was "unable to complete required pre-departure activities in time for the crew to operate the flight before reaching the end of their legal duty limits."

The delayed flight finally departed at 9:46am Saturday.

During the delay, passengers were put up in local hotels. The airline said it is offering customers a full refund, plus US$1,000 off future travel with United Airlines.

While flight delays due to mechanical problems are not uncommon, it is rare for passengers to be stranded for such a long time.

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