19 October 2009

BAÃ¢â¬â¢s sky baby celebrates her First Class arrival

SYDNEY - Shona Owen stepped back into the British Airways First Class cabin for the trip of a lifetime last week as she travelled to Australia, 18 years after she was born on a flight as it came into land at Gatwick airport.

As the only UK citizen whose passport reads 'Born on an aeroplane, ten miles south of Mayfield, Sussex', Shona from Inverness, was given free First Class flights to anywhere in the world from British Airways to celebrate her 18th Birthday.

Shona, who is currently a student at Aberdeen University, said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœI decided to use my tickets for a trip to Australia to surprise my grandmother on her 80th birthday, so it will be a double birthday celebration. I was a bit too young to appreciate all the luxuries of BAÃ¢â¬â¢s First Class service last time.Ã¢â¬~

Her mother Deborah Owen, now aged 53, who was working in Accra at the time, went into labour on board the British Airways BA78 flight during its approach in to Gatwick Airport.

Six weeks before she was due to give birth in the UK, Shona made an appearance with the help of the BA cabin crew and Dutch doctor Wym Bakker, who answered an appeal on board the DC10 aircraft.

Deborah said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœIt was an amazing day - giving birth in BA's First class cabin was far more luxurious than the hospital I was heading home for, and the crew and doctor were marvellous. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect arrivalÃ¢â¬~.

Her older sister Claire, was only four-years-old at the time of her sisterÃ¢â¬â¢s birth, and was flying back from Accra when her mum went into labour. She still remembers being distracted by cabin crew with colouring books and crayons, while her mum gave birth to her younger sister.

She was delighted to be invited by her younger sister to enjoy her First Class flights to Sydney.

Following the birth she was named Shona Kirsty Yves (SKY), so that she would have a lasting memory of the adventure that gave her a flying start in life.

Since Shona was born, the rules for travelling have been changed so that mothers can travel only up until 28 weeks without a doctorÃ¢â¬â¢s certificate.