What happens to the citizenship of babies born mid-flight

Infants who are born mid-flight tend to have special issues with regard to their citizenship. The law depends on the nation that the airplane is registered to, and also the parents' nationalities. Some nations automatically give citizenship to whoever is born within their territory, but others have different rules, like the nation of the airline or the parents' nationality. It makes it a confusing legal issue for families. With air travel traversing borders, it is important for parents in such a situation to know how these citizenship regulations work. The case is quite intriguing on how countries treat children born in the air.

When a baby is born on an airplane, determining their citizenship can be complicated, as there is no single universal rule. In general, the country where the airplane is registered is regarded as the child's place of birth, meaning the child may inherit the nationality of that country. However, many countries primarily grant citizenship based on the parents’ nationality, not the location of the birth. To address these complexities, a 1961 international agreement was established, suggesting that a child born in the air may be granted citizenship from the country of the airline. In the U.S., the State Department has a unique approach: if the baby is born in international airspace, they are considered an "air baby." While such occurrences are rare, airlines sometimes use them for promotional purposes, offering benefits like free flights or special gifts to the newborn.

In a rare and dramatic incident, Davy Owen gave birth to a son while flying from Ivory Coast to London. At seven months pregnant, Owen was traveling with her four-year-old daughter when she suddenly went into labor. Despite having received medical clearance from her doctor, she unexpectedly gave birth during the flight, with the plane nearing the British border. A Dutch doctor onboard assisted in the delivery, ensuring both mother and child were safe. The baby, named Shona, is now 28 and is one of the world’s few "Skyborn" individuals—people born mid-flight. Such births are rare due to complications like oxygen levels, and airlines often have strict rules for pregnant passengers, especially after 27 weeks.