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Date Published: 12/05/2025

Unexpected addition on flight to Spain

A Ryanair flight from Brussels to Castellón was diverted when a woman went into labour at 35,000 feet

A Ryanair flight heading to Spain took an unexpected turn on Thursday afternoon when a passenger gave birth in the air, prompting an emergency landing in France.

Flight FR4797 left Brussels South Charleroi Airport at 1.30pm on Thursday May 8, bound for the eastern Spanish city of Castellón de la Plana. The flight had just reached cruising altitude when a young woman on board began experiencing labour pains.

It quickly became clear that the baby wasn’t going to wait. The crew contacted air traffic control and the pilots requested a diversion to the nearest suitable airport. The aircraft was directed to Limoges, a regular Ryanair destination in western France, and touched down safely at Limoges-Bellegarde Airport just 54 minutes after take-off.

Emergency services were already waiting on the ground, but by the time they boarded, the new arrival had already made her appearance. With the help of medical personnel on board, the woman had given birth to a healthy baby girl mid-flight.

Local firefighters then took over and transferred both mum and daughter to the Mother and Child Hospital in Limoges. Thankfully, both were reported to be doing well.

The dramatic birth also raised a curious question; does being born in French airspace make the baby a French citizen?

In short, not necessarily. Under French law, being born in the country does not automatically grant nationality unless one of the parents is French. In some cases, children born in France to foreign parents may qualify later, but there are usually residency or other conditions attached. Being born in the sky over France does not change that.

Still, it was a memorable flight for everyone on board - and a very special first journey for the airline’s newest and tiniest passenger.

Image: Pixabay

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