Air Canada passenger gives 

birth to girl on flight to Japan

New mother went into labour somewhere over the Pacific Ocean after 

leaving Calgary

The father of a baby born on a flight from Calgary to Tokyo holds his newborn daughter and waves to reporters on the tarmac. (YouTube)

It was a happy Mother's Day for a Canadian woman on an Air Canada plane that left Calgary en route to Tokyo, after she gave birth to a healthy girl somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on Sunday.

The 23-year-old's labour was aided by a doctor on the AC009 flight, the Japan Times reported.

The plane was given landing priority and touched down 30 minutes ahead of schedule, said reports.

"I couldn't imagine, this just happened completely unexpectedly. It turned out we have a little baby, beautiful girl," said the unidentified father to Japanese reporters as he held the baby.  

"Her name is Chloe."

The mother and newborn were taken to hospital.

On its website, Air Canada says women having a normal pregnancy and no history of early labour can fly up to and including their 36th week. A typical pregnancy lasts 38 weeks. 

The airline tweeted that mom and child are doing well.