Baby born mid-flight gets free lifetime pass from Jet Airways

A Kerala woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy while flying at a height of 35,000 feet on Jet Airways’s Dammam-Kochi flight on Sunday morning, officials said. Both mother and child are in “stable condition”.

Jet’s 9W-569 flight, with 162 passengers on board, was diverted to Mumbai for handling the medical emergency as 29-year-old C Jose, who was travelling alone, went into premature labour on Sunday morning, when the plane was flying in Pakistan’s airspace.

The flight crew made an announcement to find out if there was any doctor on board, but there was only a trained paramedic, Mini Wilson, who stepped forward to help.

Jose was shifted to the first class, where Wilson, assisted by cabin crew comprising Mohammad Taj Hayath, Deborah Tavares, Isha Jayakar, Sushmita David, Cathering Lepcha and Tejas Chavan, helped deliver the baby boy safely.

Upon landing, mother and child were rushed to the Holy Spirit Hospital in Andheri East where their condition was reported to be “stable”.

Jet Airways announced that being the first baby to be born in flight for the airlines, the child would get a free lifetime pass for any travel on the carrier. The airlines also informed Jose’s family, who are rushing to Mumbai.

After a two hour halt for the medical emergency, the flight departed for its journey to Kochi. Cochin International Airport Ltd Managing Director VJ Kurian confirmed the incident, but could not furnish more details. (The Quint)

Mumbai: Baby born mid-air to be under observation for 5 days

The baby born at 35,000 feet on its Dammam-Kochi Jet Airways flight on Sunday will be kept under observation at Mumbai’s Holy Spirit Hospital for five days. Jet Airways has already announced free lifetime travel for the baby.

Sister Sneha, executive director of Holy Spirit Hospital said that both the mother and the baby boy were doing fine.

“The baby weighs about two kgs and 250 grams. When he was brought in, the glucose levels were slightly low. But now the baby is doing fine,” she said adding that the baby is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and will be kept there until he gains some more weight.

The hospital staff said that the since the baby was born in the flight there were signs of infection and hence the baby is on light antibiotics.

“Room where delivery takes place has to be sanitised, but this was an emergency case and that’s why the baby was kept in NICU. We have checked him for infections, we feel that the protein has come slightly higher which means there may be some infection. We are giving him a milder form of antibiotics which will take five days. The mother is doing well,” said Sister Sneha.

The mother was accompanied by her parents at the hospital on Sunday. Jet Airways in a statement said, “Jet Airways commends its crew for their response and promptness that saw them successfully translate their training into life saving action. The airline expresses its gratitude to Ms Wilson, the on board paramedic for her guidance. Being the first baby to be born in flight for the airline, Jet Airways is pleased to offer the newly-born a free lifetime pass for all his travel on Jet Airways.” (India Today)