Get All Access for $5/mo

Oh, Baby! Woman Surprisingly Gives Birth on American Airlines Flight One woman was in for the surprise of her life after her water broke on a flight to the Dominican Republic.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

TikTok via @pinkangel876
TikTok via @pinkangel876

If you've been on a flight, you've most likely witnessed some bizarre passenger behavior in one way or another. And although flight attendants are trained to deal with odd requests and disgruntled behavior, helping someone give birth is probably not in the training materials.

Such was the case on an American Airlines flight leaving New York's JFK airport for the Dominican Republic last week when a woman went into labor mid-flight, prompting an emergency landing and delivery of a baby boy.

A TikToker named Kendall (@pinkangel876) is going viral for documenting her sister giving birth and recounting the story to viewers in a series of videos that have together garnered millions of views.

Kendall says that while she was on the way to the airport with her family, her sister joked that she was going to have the baby in the car since the bumpy road was causing pain on one side.

@pinkangel876 Welcome baby air #baby #air #airplane #airbaby #americanairlines #birthonairplane #foryou #trending #vacation #trip ♬ original sound - rayeem_

The pain continued at the airport and worsened once she was on the plane.

"Being pregnant, if you sit a certain way, you get cramps. If you sit a certain way, your back hurts. If you sit a certain way, you're feeling pain somewhere — so we didn't take it as anything," the sister explained.

@pinkangel876 Part 2 #baby #air #sky #borninthesky #airbaby #foryou #fyp #jamacantiktok ♬ original sound - kendaleerhoden

After takeoff, while in the air, her sister's water broke. They alerted a flight attendant who called for doctors and medical professionals on the flight. They rushed the pregnant woman to the back of the plane where she proceeded to birth her child.

"It was like 30 minutes. It was quick, it was real quick," her sister said. "Even every passenger on the plane was like, 'she's finished already?'"

The flight attendants announced that a boy had been born and the entire plane erupted in applause before the plane emergency landed and the woman was wheelchaired off the plane.

@pinkangel876 To the 4 heroes, thank you #airbaby #sky #skybaby #Dominicanrepublic #a#americanairlinesm#momb#baby ♬ original sound - kendaleerhoden

The child has jokingly been nicknamed "baby air" and "sky" with others claiming the baby was "born to travel."

American Airlines confirmed that the birth took place on one of their flights in a statement to Newsweek.

"On Sept. 7, American Airlines flight 2443 from New York (JFK) to Punta Cana (PUJ) declared an emergency before landing due a medical emergency on board," the airline told the outlet. "First responders met the flight upon landing and the customer was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation."

The woman and her son are reportedly in good health, though it is noted that the baby was originally born prematurely.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Growing a Business

How to Build, Grow and Make Money With Ecommerce

To grow your online business, you need to develop a strategy and invest your time wisely. These actionable tips can attract customers and increase online revenue.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Franchise

Kick-Start Your Small Business With These Cost Effective Strategies

Starting a small business is an exciting adventure, brimming with both opportunities and challenges. A key to success is effectively managing costs from the outset.