Some air travelers may bring home more than just souvenirs after taking a trip.
A woman traveling on a Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul said she witnessed a bed bug crawling into her seat while in the air, The New York Times reported this month.
She claimed the flight attendant dismissed her concerns and later posted about her experience on a Facebook travel group, where others said they had also seen bedbugs on flights.
Fox News Digital reached out to Turkish Airlines for comment.
A Turkish Airlines spokesperson told travel news source SimpleFlying.com, “Regarding the recent news reports about bedbugs, we would like to emphasize that Turkish Airlines remains steadfast in its commitment to the highest standards of safety and comfort “.
“Cases of cheetahs are a general issue encountered from time to time in public spaces, including airplanes. In this regard, we take all feedback seriously and thoroughly investigate each report. In such cases, affected aircraft immediately undergo all necessary inspections and treatments,” the spokesman said, adding that the airline’s planes are “regularly cleaned” and “thoroughly sanitized before each flight.”
Benjamin Hottel, an Orkin, Georgia-based entomologist, told Fox News Digital that travel is a common way for bed bugs to become a problem.
He said bed bugs are blood feeders that humans or animals seek as a food source.
“They detect people through the carbon dioxide we exhale and our body heat. “When they’re not looking for people or animals to feed on, bed bugs like to hide in dark cracks and crevices,” Hottel said.
He added, “They are not usually seen hiding in the open.”
“Chimas often hitchhike on luggage and personal belongings, they can unknowingly end up on the plane,” Hottel said.
He added, “They are also extremely adept at hitchhiking, traveling with personal items such as luggage, clothing, purses and gym bags. Travelers can carry them unknowingly from one place to another.”
In November, Eric Braun, a board-certified entomologist and experienced technical service manager at Terminix, told Fox News Digital to pack only the essentials when traveling.
“Personally, I put the toilet on the counter, hang the clothes that need to be hung in the closet, and then put everything else in my suitcase and put my suitcase in the bathroom,” he said.
Like Hottel, Braun also said bedbugs are good at hitchhiking.
“If clothes are left inside the suitcase and placed on the floor, near the bed, or within range of possible hiding places for bed bugs, then the suitcase and its contents can be at risk for hitchhiking bed bugs,” Braun said.
To avoid bringing bed bugs home from travel, travelers should look for small, flat, oval-shaped, brown-red bugs in their luggage, as well as their discarded skin or feces, according to Hottel.
He said it “will look like ink stains next to seams on clothes or furniture.”
“If you suspect you’ve been exposed to bedbugs, put your travel clothes in the dryer for 30-45 minutes on the highest setting. Hide the luggage vacuum and place [the] vacuum contents into sealed garbage bags,” Hottel said.
#hitchhiking #bug #travel #planes #follow #passengers #home
Image Source : nypost.com