Philadelphia

Birth on a Plane: Where Was The Mid-Air Baby Actually Born?

After a baby was born mid-flight Sunday, many are wondering where the child's birthplace actually is.

On Sunday, a passenger gave birth on a flight that left Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was headed to Orlando, Florida. The flight was diverted to Charleston, South Carolina so the family could be taken to a hospital.

Where is this child then considered a resident? Does it claim residency in Philadelphia, Orlando, Charleston, or the air?

"During international flights, there is an issue of the carrier and where the plane is registered," said Arthur Wolk, an aviation expert from Wolk Law Firm. "Coordinates of the plane are also taken into account when considering nationality."

"If a child of foreign parents with foreign citizenship is born over U.S. soil, the child can claim U.S. citizenship," Wolk added.

We know this child was born over United States soil, so who then issues a birth certificate? Are coordinates at the time of birth taken into account?

"There was a debate years ago whether or not to consider the child a resident of the state it was flying over, but now wherever the plane lands, the hospital the family is taken to issues a birth certificate from that state," said Keith Cianfrani, of Aviation Safety Consultants.

The baby will be considered a resident of Charleston, South Carolina.

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