The Associated Press
Published August 18, 2004, 8:02 AM CDT
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A Jordanian woman gave birth to a healthy daughter during a flight from Amsterdam to Chicago, the Dutch airline KLM said Wednesday.
The woman went into labor over the Atlantic on Tuesday, KLM spokesman Frank Houben said. After conferring with flight controllers and three doctors who happened to be on board, the pilot decided to land at St. John's Airport in Newfoundland, Canada.
But the baby was delivered by the doctors in the plane's pantry minutes before the plane touched down.
Guidelines by the International Air Transport Association say women should not fly in their final weeks of pregnancy. The woman told the airline she was only in the 27th week, Houben said.
"Even if she wasn't telling the truth, it's still a happy occurrence and a birth is a beautiful thing. But there's a question who will pay," Houben said.
The airline was investigating whether the woman's insurance company could be held liable for costs related to the unexpected landing, he said.
The woman was sent with her infant and four other children to a hospital in St. John's, while the flight continued to Chicago after a four-hour delay.
QIguy24 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 4063 times:
I'm glad to hear that everything with the baby went ok. But it pisses me of that she lied about it. So in my opinion she should have to pay for it herself. And no insurance should cover for that. And I doubt they will do that.
Boeing757/767 From United States, joined Jun 1999, 2213 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 3993 times:
I wonder if she lied just to have the baby born in the U.S.?
Targowski From United States, joined Aug 2003, 127 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 3935 times:
is the baby canadian? the kid was born on an airplane before it landed, though likely in canadian airspace (but who knows, its st. johns, near canada's boundaries if i am not mistaken). most likely, it will be jordanian if her mother is jordanian.
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15039 posts, RR: 65 Reply 5, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 3651 times:
Sounds like she timed the birth to ensure citizenship in a Western nation. They should kick her ass back to Jordan. Oh yeah, and send her a bill for the diversion.
CptGirmayTesfa From Peru, joined Oct 2003, 387 posts, RR: 4 Reply 6, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 3635 times:
Thank God for a beautiful healthy baby!
The baby would have the nationality of (one) of the parents, presumably Jordanian.
On board the plane, whether in another country airspace or above international waters, the law applies to which the aircraft is registered, in this case the Netherlands. However, the Dutch do not give citizenship to those born out of non-Dutch parents even when on its territory / planes.
QIguy24: who says that she lied?? Only a doctor will be able to tell.
UA777222 From United States, joined Dec 2003, 2836 posts, RR: 16 Reply 7, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 3606 times:
CANADA!!!
Seeing how the baby is Canadian and the mother will most likely not allow them to go after her insurance the Can. gov. has the oh so funny thing called Free Health Insurance. I guess it's the baby's birth there for it's the things bill. Let Canada pay! In all seriousness shouldn't they?
CYLW From Canada, joined Apr 2000, 371 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 3572 times:
Well, our health care isn't completely free for most Canadians. My wife and I pay $75 a month for coverage. Not bad I guess. BTW, I think you must have to be a citizen to be eligible for universal healthcare. We'll probably end up footing the bill though. Well, the Newfies will that is.
UA777222 From United States, joined Dec 2003, 2836 posts, RR: 16 Reply 9, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 3560 times:
I have spoken to many Canadian Citizens and they have still not managed to get their health care system to me. That and the milk in a bag thing. I think KLM will end up footing the bill so they don't have to deal with court issues and whatnot. It couldn't have cost more than a divert or anything related.
QIguy24 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 3410 times:
My god. Did you read the article?
"Even if she wasn't telling the truth, it's still a happy occurrence and a birth is a beautiful thing. But there's a question who will pay," Houben said
StarCruiser From United States, joined May 2004, 301 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 3382 times:
Mattbna said:
"I'm curious about the _4 hour_ delay?!?! Good grief!"
Matt
**********
Yeah, all they had to do was dump her off and take off again unless the passengers all had to go through Canadian customs first.
If her action was a stunt in the hopes of giving birth in the USA she certainly played a dangerous game. Jordan is a decent country, after all. Why didn't she wait until she delivered and then travel? It was fortunate that there were three doctors on board, but what if there had been complications at birth? If she lied about how far along she was she should be liable for the cost of the diversion.
It will be interesting figuring out what nationality the baby will be. Is the father also Jordanian, and where was he? What kind of man would allow his wife to travel by herself with four little ones even at 27 weeks? No doubt our Canadian friends are asking some of these very questions, and so should KLM.
StarCruiser From United States, joined May 2004, 301 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 3331 times:
Qlguy24 said:
"Have you ever heard of SLOT times?"
*********
The problem with the written word is that often humor is not readily discernible. I was merely agreeing that four hours seemed excessive.
I was onboard an SK flight CPH - JFK years ago which made a fuel emergency landing in YUL. Those Canadians were really friendly toward us foreigners from Denmark. Naturally, most onboard were Americans, but we played along.
QIguy24 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 3325 times:
Starcruiser,
Sorry about it then. I thought you were complaining about 4 hours delay an I jsut wanted to tell you one of the main reasons a flight can be delayed that much.
Jcded From Switzerland, joined Jan 2004, 200 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 3272 times:
most likely the child would be Jordanian beacuse of ius sanguini, even though the mother was technically over canadian territory she was not legally in canada (past immigration) therefore ius soli would not apply. And the dutch (and most EU nations) do not recgonize ius soli as a path to citizenship. I had to do research into the issue to see if there were any problems in being french, canadian and american at the same time (father french, mother canadian and born in the USA).
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 3376 posts, RR: 46 Reply 21, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3085 times:
One of the issues might also that a Muslim woman (and her husband) which I presume she is, isn't as easy and open in discussing or even realising things like when conception and not having periods might have taken place as a western woman is. It can be a case of cultural communication differences, so don't judge too hard on her without knowing the full story.
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
ChiGB1973 From United States, joined Mar 2004, 1543 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3000 times:
A baby was born about a month ago on an ATA flight LAX-HNL (I think). I haven't heard many details other than they were and hour and a half out from LA and returned with one more passenger. There were plenty of medical pros on board to help out.
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15039 posts, RR: 65 Reply 23, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2746 times:
What kind of man would allow his wife to travel by herself with four little ones even at 27 weeks?
A man desperate to become an illegal immigrant in a Western nation, for which a Cdn or American born child will do the trick. There are millions of such men.
One of the issues might also that a Muslim woman (and her husband) which I presume she is, isn't as easy and open in discussing or even realising things like when conception and not having periods might have taken place as a western woman is.
Flairport From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2727 times:
How is it that the doctors just happen to be on those flights specifically? Luck, I guess
The reason for the diversion to Canada:
"We need to take her to a hospital."
"A hospital? What is it?"
"It's a big building with lots of people in it, but that's not important right now!"
RedDragon From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2004, 1135 posts, RR: 10 Reply 25, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 2326 times:
Sounds like she timed the birth to ensure citizenship in a Western nation. They should kick her ass back to Jordan. Oh yeah, and send her a bill for the diversion.
She "timed the birth to ensure citizenship"? What, so at 27 weeks she hops on a plane and somehow induces a birth? ("Push!! Push!!")
Now I've only read the snippet in the thread opener (the link only appeared to work for registered users of the Chicago Tribune) so don't have any background information, but I'm amazed at the number of people apparently jumping to conclusions about this woman. Does anyone have another story with more detail on this birth?
Rich
26 Starlionblue: There is a doctor (or more likely a medical student) aboard every flight with a medical emergency. It's pretty clear in the movies
27 Fly2HMO: As a side note: If a baby is born in a plane, the nationality of the baby will be the same as the flag that the plane carries. It's like if the airpla
28 Zaphod: EK had few births too. More recently in April when an Indonesian woman gave birth enroute to CGK. Apparantly, the crew did not believe her when she sa
29 LTBEWR: 27 weeks is just about over 6 months, not an improbable time to have a premature birth. What was the weight of the baby here as it could suggest if th
30 Ghsweusa: "Fly2HMO As a side note: If a baby is born in a plane, the nationality of the baby will be the same as the flag that the plane carries. It's like if t
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