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A Finnair flight landed in Helsinki on 20 November with one more passenger than it took off with after a baby was born while the plane was in the air.

The baby girl came into the world at an altitude of 36,000 feet (11,000 metres) above Kazakhstan during a flight to Helsinki from Bangkok.

Assistance was given to the baby's Swedish mother by two doctors and two nurses who were also on the flight, as well as a doctor from the MedLink service who communicated via satellite phone.

Mother and baby were taken to hospital as soon as the plane landed at Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

Christer Haglund, Finnair's senior vice president of corporate communications, said: 'Finnair wants to congratulate warmly the whole family on this happy event.

'This is a unique occasion for Finnair, since no birth has ever taken place on one of our flights before. The family will get return Finnair flights to Bangkok as a gift.'

International Air Transport Association guidelines state that pregnant women may travel by plane up to the end of their 36th week, although those who are past their 28th week must provide a doctor's certificate showing that the pregnancy has proceeded normally.

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