There’s an 844 mile flight between Conakry, Guinea and Ouagadougou, Burkina Fasao. It’s operated twice a week with a Boeing 737 by Turkish Airlines.
It’s a short hop, but Friday’s early morning flight was just long enough for a baby to be born onboard.
Turkish Airlines was thrilled by this (likely because the flight wasn’t even delayed!).
The mother, Nafi Diaby, was just 28 weeks pregnant. Passengers assisted in the delivery, and the mother and baby — taken to a hospital on landing — are reportedly doing well. The crew couldn’t have been happier, too. The baby is named Kadiju.
Credit: Turkish Airlines
Credit: Turkish Airlines
No word on whether the woman or child will receive any special flight benefits, or even if they’ll be permitted to re-schedule onward travel to Istanbul without penalty.
Last year a woman gave birth on a Saudia flight to New York. They declared an emergency just as they were about to head out over the Atlantic Ocean, dumped fuel, and turned around heading for London Heathrow. The baby and her family were given a free trip.
A woman also gave birth on Jetstar Asia. She named the baby after the airline, and they gave her $1000 in baby supplies. And a baby born on a Cebu Pacific flight was given 1 million frequent flyer miles.
Meanwhile the mother and baby born on Southwest Airlines in December apparently got nothing.
In 2015 a woman who didn’t know she was pregnant gave birth onboard an Air Canada flight from Calgary to Tokyo. A woman gave birth on a flight from Taipei to Los Angeles. And an American Airlines flight made a u-turn over the Atlantic when a woman went into labor. And a baby born was born on a Jazeera Airways flight — and was given 18 years of free flights.
Yeah there is absolutely no way this baby is a 28 weeker.
agreed, no way 28 weeks or close to it…
Mother must have had the dates all wrong. This is not a 28 weeker baby
Mom lied so she could fly. I’m a pediatrician, and that baby is not even close to being 3 months early! Dating is never off by that much, a couple week maybe, not three months! 28 weeks is the legal gestational age to fly without a doctor’s note, no doctor would approve her to fly that far along! Mom put her and her baby in great danger by flying when that pregnant!
I’ve been a Intensive Care Neonatal nurse for over 30 years and that has got to be the biggest healthiest looking 28 weeker I have ever seen. The glorification of this delivery by the airline only encourages other mothers to put their children in grave danger. Childbirth comes with many complications most people could never imagine. In our unit we frequently see many infants that never make it or have lifelong problems because parents think it would be a good idea to have them in places outside of a trained facility.
I am glad the crew was able to help out. I am sure it was one memorable flight for them.
As a physician, I completely agree with Elizabeth and MissyRNC. Giving birth without proper support and access to specialized care is dangerous. While we can all be thankful for the good outcome, this is not something that should be encouraged or celebrated.
To quote my obstetrical colleague:
“No way in hell. That be a term baby. If it was really 28 weeks, they should be doing something other than taking a selfie with it… like helping it breathe.”