Born in the air: What happens if a baby is born on a plane?

How common is birth on a plane?

While labour on a plane is rare, it does happen once in a while. 74 babies were born mid-flight between 1929 and 2018. As challenging as this might sound for parents and flight attendants, a few questions may arise. What would happen to the baby’s citizenship if they are born mid-flight? Do babies born on a plane receive free flights for life? Is it safe to fly when you are pregnant? Read along to learn more about what happens when a baby is born on a plane!

How many weeks pregnant can I fly?

Travelling by plane during pregnancy is considered safe up to 36 weeks. If you have a multiple pregnancy, such as twins or triplets, then you are safe to fly up to 32 weeks. In general, doctors don’t recommend flying after 36 weeks of pregnancy to reduce potential health risks.

What happens if you go into labour on a flight?

The passenger will first be moved to a more comfortable and spacious part of the plane, such as business or first class. There will be an announcement made asking for help from any medical professionals onboard the plane. Generally, childbirth is not part of standard training for flight attendants. However, flight attendants are trained for medical emergencies, such as using an AED, performing CPR, and most importantly, thinking quickly in critical situations. This means if you ever go into labour on a plane, flight crews will take all necessary steps possible to ensure a safe delivery for you!

What nationality are you if you were born on a plane?

The rules regarding the citizenship of a baby born on a plane vary by country. For some countries, such as the United States, the citizenship of a baby depends on the territorial airspace the aircraft was flying over at the time of birth. This principle is called ‘jus soli’ in Latin, meaning ‘right of the soil’. For example, a child born on a plane over U.S. territory is automatically granted U.S. citizenship.

Keep in mind: Even though the ‘jus soli’ principle is still in place at the time of writing this article, Donald Trump, the current president of the United States, is seeking to end birthright citizenship, according to CNN.

On the other hand, countries like the United Kingdom follow the ‘jus sanguinis’ principle, which means ‘right of the blood’ in Latin. This means the baby’s citizenship is determined by its parents’ citizenship.

What does your birth certificate say if you're born on a plane?

Surprisingly, if the baby is born in a region not claimed by any country, the official designation written on the birth certificate would be “in the air”! Similarly, babies born on a ship over international waters have “at sea” written in their birth certificates.

Do babies born on a plane get free flights for life?

Some tend to believe that babies born on planes would receive free flight tickets for life from that airline. However, this is not the case most of the time, as only a few airlines grant free flights for life to babies born on a plane. These airlines include Thai Airways, Asia Pacific Airlines, AirAsia, Polar Airlines, and EgyptAir. Other airlines granted limited free flights for babies born on the plane, such as Virgin Atlantic, which granted a baby free flights until the age of 21, and Aeromexico, which granted 90 free flights to a baby for their 90th anniversary.

What do I do if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

Was your flight delayed by at least 3 hours or cancelled within 14 days before the departure date? No worries! According to EU261 regulations, you may be eligible for compensation. Use our Claim Calculator to check your eligibility and make a claim!

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We hope you find this information useful, have a safe and amazing trip!

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