A Woman and Her Daughter Say They Were Covered In Bed Bugs After a Recent Flight
Traveling is stressful enough, but could you imagine finally getting to your airplane seat only to find bed bugs crawling on it? Heather Szilagyi claims that is exactly what happened to her, her 7-year-old daughter Molly, and her fiancé Eric Neilson on a recent British Airways flight from Vancouver to London, reports Metro UK.
"I hoped that one was a flax seed or an apple seed. Then it started crawling," Heather told Metro UK. "That was the bug I gave to the flight attendant."
Unfortunately, Heather says a flight attendant told her that the flight was full and there were no other seats for her family to move to.
Each bed bug bites 3 times then goes back into hiding. This is just my daughter's calves. That's more than a few bugs. #britishairways pic.twitter.com/2WtAGA8PFd
- Heather Szilagyi (@heatherfact) October 12, 2017
By the time the group arrived in arrived in London, Molly already had several bites on her body. "You almost never feel them biting," Heather told Metro UK. "They're very small. You don't know you got bit until later, sometimes a couple days later."
Thankfully, on the return flight home, Heather and her family received upgraded seats and "kind and very empathetic" customer service from British Airways, she says. The airline has also apologized to the family and are investigating the incident further, reportsTravel + Leisure.
"British Airways operates more than 280,000 flights every year, and reports of bed bugs onboard are extremely rare," an airline spokesperson told Travel + Leisure. "Nevertheless, we are vigilant and continually monitor our aircraft. The presence of bed bugs is an issue faced occasionally by hotels and airlines all over the world."
While reported bed bug cases on airplanes are rare, Sara Crain, an account manager for WestPoint Hospitality who is certified with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), tell us that bed bugs can easily spread throughout an airplane's cabin due to close proximity with fellow travelers and their belongings. Additionally, the frequent turnover of people creates an environment where the critters can thrive.
Apart from bites, bed bugs can become a bigger issue if they travel home with you and start multiplying. "All it takes is one stowaway bed bug hitching a ride on your luggage to transplant and begin creating your own person bed bug infestation," Sara tells CountryLiving.com.
When it comes to bed bugs on airplanes, here's what you need to be aware of before you get in your seat:
To protect yourself from potentials bugs (and more), bring your own plastic seat cover like the Bug Off Seat Cover.
Stay vigilant by packing your own a travel pillow and a blanket in lieu of using the ones provided by the airplane.
To spot a bed bug, look for small, flat, oval-shaped body crawling around. Also keep a look out for rusty or reddish stains on your seat that are left behind when the insect is crushed, according to the EPA.
If you do spot bed bugs, immediately inform a flight attendant and try to switch seats.
Know that airlines will take a plane out of service for fumigation and deep cleaning, if bed bugs are found after an initial report.
(h/t Travel + Leisure)
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