A baby girl born on a flight halfway from Dubai to Manila has received a birthday present: a million air mile points.
The Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific said the baby, named Haven, was the first to be delivered on one of its planes.
Haven’s mother went into labour on Sunday, four hours into the flight and five weeks before her due date. Cabin crew found two nurses who helped with the delivery.
The lead cabin crew member Mark Martin said two flight attendants were also trained as nurses.
“To baby Haven,” he said. “You are God’s miracle at 36,000ft and we’re blessed to have been an instrument in your safe delivery. You will always be my most memorable passenger.”
Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific’s chief executive, said that to celebrate the birth, Haven would receive one million GetGo points, part of the airline’s air miles reward programme.
Flight crew welcome baby Haven to the world.
The flight was diverted to Hyderabad, India, the airline said, to ensure the mother and baby received medical assistance for the premature birth.
Another passenger on the flight said she did not mind the delay. “It only happens in movies, and we’re lucky to witness this miracle,” Missy Berberabe Umandal wrote in a Facebook post.