Baby born on plane before it lands at Portland airport; Delta thanks ‘medical volunteers on board’
A woman gave birth on a plane shortly before it landed at Portland International Airport on Friday night.
Portland Airport Fire & Rescue received a report that a woman was in labor on incoming Delta Flight 478 from Atlanta and responded to the flight. “They found everyone in stable condition upon the plane’s arrival,” Kara Hansen of the Port of Portland said. “The baby had been delivered in-flight.”
Delta Air Lines confirmed the birth on the plane, which landed at 10:02 p.m.
“We extend our sincere thanks to the crew and medical volunteers on board who stepped in to provide care to a customer onboard prior to landing in Portland,” Delta spokesperson Sabrina Cole said in an email. “The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority, and we wish the new family all the best.”
An Oregon woman posted to Facebook Saturday that the baby is “our newest granddaughter!” She wrote that the newborn weighs 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and that both mother and baby are doing well. The Facebook page shows a woman sitting in a blue airplane seat holding a baby bundled in a cream blanket. Other photos show the baby, presumably off the plane, with a knit cap and bundled in the type of blankets that hospitals stock.
No information was available about what stage of the pregnancy the passenger was in. Delta doesn’t impose any limits on how far along pregnant passengers can be and still fly.
“If you’re traveling after your eighth month, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor to be sure travel is not restricted,” Delta’s website reads. “Keep in mind when booking, ticket change fees and penalties cannot be waived for pregnancy.”
Social media is abuzz with chatter about the in-air birth. Some users are joking that the baby should be named “Jet” or “Sky.” Others are speculating about what state will be listed as the baby’s place of birth — Georgia, Oregon or somewhere in between.
