United Airlines flight 997 from Accra to Washington Dulles arrived with one more passenger on the manifest than when it departed after an expectant mother gave birth to a healthy baby boy with the help of a doctor and a flight attendant onboard who was also a nurse.
Baby Born On United Airlines Flight From Accra To Washington
UA997 took off from Accra (ACC) late Saturday night, with a scheduled arrival into Washington Dulles (IAD) at 5:30am on Sunday morning. One passenger onboard was about eight months pregnant, with her baby due at the end of February.
But the child came early. With several hours left in the flight and plane traveling at 34,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, the young mother went into labor. The captain called for medical assistance and Dr. Ansah-Addo, a Ghanian doctor who practices in the USA and was returning from vacation in Accra, answered the call of duty, along with one of the flight attendants onboard who also happened to be a nurse.
With two hours until landing in IAD, the baby was born, a healthy baby boy.
A United spokesperson called the birth “uneventful…other than being at 30,000 feet” and noted the mother and her son were taken to a hospital in the Dulles area, but doing very well. A team of ground staff met the aircraft and congratulated the mother with balloons and a card.
Nurse Flight Attendant Onboard Assists With Birth
I did want to point to one thing that I did not see mentioned in other outlets. Did you notice that one of the flight attendants was also a nurse and played a key role in delivering the baby onboard?
There’s a false impression amongst much of the traveling the public that flight attendants are uneducated trolly dollies who should be thankful for the impressive pay they receive to serve meals and drinks. I don’t subscribe to the to the “we’re primarily here for your safety” mantra, but would also never call a FA a glorified waiter or waitress, as it overlooks what a critical role flight attendants play in handling an emergency onboard, particularly if a need arises for a rapid evacuation.
But there’ another element: flight attendants are often well-educated professionals in other fields. Think nurses. Lawyers. Accountants. Professors. So why become a flight attendant? Because it is fun. For the travel benefits. Because it is a nice change of pace.
Next time you fly, don’t be surprised if your flight attendant has a long resume or a distinguished career in another field. Remember, the very first attendants were nurses.
CONCLUSION
This is a lovely story to start the week. Congrats to the new mother and I wish you and your son a wonderful life. I’m not sure how U.S. birthright citizenship works when a child is born on a plane over the Atlantic, but I’m sure they will sort it out!
(H/T: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
What is your nationality if you are born in the sky and what do they record as the location of birth ?
For nationality, most countries will determine it on the basis if the nationality(-ies) of the parents. The USA is one of the exceptions, as it grants citizenship on the basis of place of birth. In this case, it’s presumably a US-registered aircraft so I believe the baby will be entitled to US citizenship (and likely also that of his parents if they are Ghanaians or from another African country).
Also the baby doesn’t have a passport.
Let me guess, this kid is now a US citizen and that was probably the plan all along, it just happened early. Beats the hell out of being born in Ghana I assume. I’m trying to figure out how someone from Ghana can afford a plan ticket? Probably a much bigger story at play here.
Seriously Live and let’s fly you all allow this comment to remain posted? How can someone from Ghana afford a plane ticket? I’m not a person who is easily offended but even I can read between the lines and figure out exactly what this person is implying here.
And we condemn such a poorly-reasoned opinion. But we don’t censor such expressions. Having traveled to Ghana in 2020, it is a lovely nation with immense opportunity that I look forward to returning to.
You do realize that Ghana is one of the upstart and thriving nations of Africa? It has a tech sector that is growing rapidly and considered a model nation in many regards. Sure, they have some issues, as does every nation, but Ghana offers incredible and encouraging signs as to the potential for the future. Which is why Delta and United both have a presence there and easy access from the U.S.
The average Ghana citizen is projected to earn less than $2000 USD in 2022. So it was a generalization but correct in most cases. And yes I understand it is very top heavy and I also realize there are some that have enough money to fly. Ghana is also a huge mid point for drugs coming from South America to the United States so one should always consider that as a possibility when someone travels here from there. Using a mule late in pregnancy isn’t exactly an original thought on my end. Just playing the odds that more is at play here.
Who cares where the drugs are coming from. They wouldn’t be coming if there wasn’t a market for them here. Blame the junkies in this country for buying them, not the businessmen from other countries that have found money to be made… If these folks even were mules, which they probably weren’t.
Ghana is a country in West Africa, so unless the drugs are doing a mileage run, it would be a hell of a journey from South America to Ghana to the United States. Ghana certainly isn’t the “midpoint” of any such journey.
If you can’t even find the country in question on a map, you probably shouldn’t leave a comment alleging that the citizens of said country are poor and uneducated and were carrying drugs. Log off and open a book, assuming you’re literate.
I travel there for work and what you say is generally true. But I also know a vast majority if given a choice would take US citizenship in a heartbeat.
Idiot
In this scenario I believe the new born’s citizenship will be same as parents.
Are u saying because she is from Ghana she can’t afford a ticket ?If you can read she lives in New York and I think it’s very offensive to suggest her nationality is some sort of conspiracy really ?And the doctor is also Ghanaian living in Michigan is that also a drug related conspiracy?Really are that ignorant in this day of knowledge.Please read .
Of course it is offensive and it is wrong. I don’t delete opinions I find objectionable. I’m sorry that makes some people in this thread (not you, necessarily, Kay) uncomfortable, but I’m of the opinion that the answer to speech is more speech.
Wow. This comment reeks of ignorance and some silly sense of superiority. Probably one of the people whose think Africa is one country and people live on trees and ride donkeys to work! Travel a little buddy, there’s life beyond your street.
Let me guess, this kid is now a US citizen and that was probably the plan all along, it just happened early. Beats the heck out of being born in Ghana I assume. I’m trying to figure out how someone from Ghana can afford a plan ticket? Probably a much bigger story at play here.
Double posted because there still with lag on posting. Please delete the 2nd. Thanks, Dave.
They still did everything legally and beat the system, which should make small government libertarians like you just as happy as when the orangutan said he paid no taxes, if you weren’t a white supremacist that is.
Here is an idea we can all get behind, just like the tomb of the unknown soldier that is highly revered, and rightfully so, we have statute of the unknown white slave owner, that is actually despised. And this statute is placed next to a public urinal and all the public’s urine is dumped on this statue of white slave owner.
Totally disgusting but no one here would expect anything different from you Debit. You truly are one of a kind liberal willing to admit the far lefts thought process. The country needs people like you to speak for the Bernie’s and Nancy’s of the world to explain their true thoughts. Thank you again for your honesty.
Why? Do you have soft spot for the white slave owners? My idea shouldn’t even be controversial.
Thank you for your honesty to prove You are all a bunch of racist f$cks hiding behind “order” .
@Debit
Another pathetic “Wokester” looking for and finding a “raciss” behind every bush. Lay off the soy milk.
@Dave – cannot remove comment without removing everything under it (in chain).
Contrary to the spokesperson, the plane was probably at FL410.
The doctor is on the left, Dr. Stephen Ansah-Addo (first name is mentioned in the BBC website). He is a dermatologist, not OB-GYN. Not only that, but he is a 2nd year resident at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.
If you are a dermatology resident, you are likely very smart because only the best medical students get into dermatology, ophthalmology, and orthopedic surgery. Ansah-Addo is a US medical graduate, not a foreign medical graduate, which is usually the case with dermatology (unless they first do a fellowship then re-do their dermatology residency, the first one being in the foreign country).
Too bad for affirmative action because this doctor is probably very smart and not a flunky that got in to dermatology or the Supreme Court because of his race. Actually, if a Black person is in dermatology, they are almost certainly smart and well qualified,
Matthew I’m so disheartened that your new policy continues to allow unfettered racism as demonstrated by Dave and this idiot Derek. These comments are sickening. I enjoy your write-ups but today is my last day on your site. I cannot continue to support a site that allows such vile racist to continue to post without any repercussions. I wonder if you condone such ideas yourself so that’s why you allow them to post freely.
Hey Derek, you think Trump was looking for anyone besides a white guy when he nominated kavanaugh, a judge whose only qualification was that he was endorsed by the federalist society. Trump’s only criteria was that the pick was endorsement by the federalist society. The bar association aside he was unqualified.
It surely did not take long for a nice story with a happy ending and good people helping people to deteriorate. Maybe leave this site for people who travel and take the other talk elsewhere.
I believe most of us travel far more than the average American, which brings us here. I personally put in almost 100,000 miles in 21. However like everyone else we have opinions on the world around us. We have a site owner who moderates what is allowed here, perhaps you should make an offer to purchase the site to run it as you see appropriate.
So do I, thus my interest in travel, not being a hater. I can handle you and your nasty side. Hope I don’t have to sit near you any time soon….
Dave Edwards -Right On!!!
Although the baby will be probably be granted US citizenship; the days of anchor babies have passed.
The child can not support a family and will be sent home to the parents country ( if they are not legal residents and only tourists) u til which time he can be a participating part of the economic fabric in the US and show the ability to sponsor his family.
People are so hateful. Still thinking that everyone wants to come to the US- not true.
I remember hearing about a woman slightly under eight months pregnant who, with her husband, was a passenger on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Both were US citizens, and, at the time, the QE2 was registered in Southampton, UK. In mid-Atlantic she went into premature labor, went to the ship’s hospital, and delivered. Soon after, the story went, the Captain came down to see how she was doing, congratulated her, and jokingly said he had told Buckingham Palace about Her Majesty’s new subject. “Huh?” went the parents. “You’re on a British flagged vessel in international waters,” he replied. Of course the baby is also a US citizen due to the citizenship of both parents.
How about free UA flights for life?!