Born to Fly—Literally: Baby Arrives Mid-Flight on ITA Airways

It’s not every day a flight lands with one extra passenger, but that’s exactly what happened aboard an ITA Airways flight from Dakar to Rome.

Flight AZ855 was cruising toward Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport when the unexpected happened: About an hour after takeoff, a woman in her seventh month of pregnancy went into labour, and gave birth mid-air.

Cue a cabin-wide moment no safety card prepares you for.

About Last Night...

According to the airline, the crew sprang into action, assisted by two passengers, a doctor and a nurse who happened to be on board. Together, they delivered the baby safely somewhere over the Atlantic, turning an ordinary overnight flight into a story passengers won’t soon forget.

Both mother and baby are reported to be in perfect health. The airline confirmed the child is the first baby ever born on board one of its aircraft.

While in-flight births are rare, they do happen, coming with a lifetime of bragging rights. 

No word yet on frequent flyer status, but if ever there was a case for instant elite perks, this might be it.

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