Baby born on Air Canada flight bound for Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario

A baby born on a flight bound for Pearson Airport in Mississauga is doing fine, according to officials.

The Air Canada flight Rouge 1879 travelling from St. Lucia to Pearson on March 6 had to be diverted after one passenger went into premature labour, an Air Canada spokesperson told insauga.com.

When the flight attendants realized the woman was in labour, they put out a call for any medical professionals on the plane.

“Two doctors generously volunteered to assist the customer,” the spokesperson said.

The aircraft diverted to Bermuda but before it landed the woman delivered a baby.

The two doctors attended to the delivery with support from the crew.

Local medics met the aircraft when it landed in Bermuda. The woman and the baby, who were both in stable health, were transferred to a local hospital.

“We understand the mother and child are in healthy condition,” the spokesperson said.

Air Canada thanked the doctors who assisted and said they are proud of the professionalism of the crew.

Births on board flights are rare because typically women who are over 36 to 40 weeks pregnant are not permitted to fly. The rules vary, depending on the airline. Women who are pregnant can travel up to 36 weeks with a normal pregnancy on Air Canada flights, the spokesperson said.

Only an estimated 70 people worldwide have been born midair in a flight, according to a January 2024 Condé Nast Traveler article.

As for the nationality of a baby born mid-flight, that can vary — there is no international rule, medical support firm MedAire’s global medical director Dr. Paulo Alves told Condé Nast Traveler.

In most cases, children receive their parents’ citizenship.

If the birth happens in no territory, the county the aircraft is registered to will take precedence. The United States, Canada and several other nations automatically grant citizenship to babies born in mid-flight above their sovereign territory, according to an article on Best Citizenships, a citizenship planning platform.