A routine Delta flight en route from Atlanta to Portland took an unexpected turn last week when a passenger went into early labor and gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
Tina Fritz and Kaarin Powell, paramedics and friends, were also aboard the Boeing 737 returning home to Oregon from a vacation in the Dominican Republic and quickly stepped in to assist.
Recounting the experience in a Facebook post, Fritz said she and Powell were already aiding another passenger with a medical emergency when a flight attendant asked if anyone could help a woman seated toward the front of the plane who was in active labor.
Fritz said the woman, identified as Ashley Blair, was experiencing contractions about three minutes apart, indicating labor was well underway. Speaking with KOIN 6 News, Fritz said Blair handled the impromptu delivery very well.
Fritz cut the umbilical cord and wrapped her in a blanket just before the plane touched down on the runway. The baby girl, named Brielle Renee, weighed five pounds, eight ounces, and measured 18.5 inches.
"We gave baby back to mom, and we taxied in, so the whole plane cheered for mom," she told KOIN. "It was great."
Upon landing, Blair and the baby were met by first responders with the Portland Airport Fire & Rescue and transported to a local hospital for observation, a spokesperson for the Port of Portland said.
In a statement, Delta praised everyone who assisted Blair with her delivery.
"We extend our sincere thanks to the crew and medical volunteers on board who stepped in to provide care to a customer onboard prior to landing in Portland," the company said. "The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority, and we wish the new family all the best."
On Saturday morning, Blair's mother, Sheryl Collis, took to social media to share several pictures of the newborn.