Baby on board: US woman gives birth on Delta flight | US news
When baby Brielle Renee was born, new mom Ashley Blair was literally flying high. Blair went into labor unexpectedly shortly before her Delta flight from Atlanta to Portland landed on Friday night.
The surprise birth was just one of two medical emergencies that emergency medical technicians Tina Fritz and Caarin Powell responded to during the flight, capping the end of their vacation in the Dominican Republic, the duo told The Associated Press. The flight crews were assisting another passenger when Blair called for help.
Emergency services immediately determined that Blair was in labor and took action; passengers changed seats and borrowed blankets from others while sitting in their own rows. Powell started the IV using his own shoelace as a tourniquet.
The baby was born quickly, with three “super, really good pushes,” Fritz told the AP. “It was beautiful,” he added. “The baby turned pink right away…it was amazing. My mom was a rock star.”
The plane landed almost at the same time as baby Ashley. It was reported that the five and a half kilo newborn was born two weeks before the due date. Blair told the crew she was flying to Oregon to be with her mother for the birth.
In a statement emailed to the Guardian, Portland Airport Fire and Rescue confirmed that a dramatic mid-air birth took place and that emergency responders were waiting for the mother and baby upon landing on the evening of April 24.
“They found everyone in stable condition when the aircraft landed shortly before its regularly scheduled arrival time of approximately 10 p.m.,” spokeswoman Molly Prescott said. “Our response team boarded the plane and found the mother and baby healthy.”
He added that Blair and the baby were transported by AMR to a local hospital for observation.
In a statement, Delta wished the new family well and thanked the crew and medical volunteers who rushed to help. “The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority,” the company said.
