Sorry
to give you one more thing to worry about while flying, but bedbug infestations
have recently broken out in the sky. It turns out the pests love infrequently
cleaned planes nearly as much as they do hotel rooms. I interviewed Dr. Richard
Cooper, the Senior Director of Service for Terminix, to find out how you can
protect yourself from bedbugs on planes.
Educate Yourself
It’s
hard to avoid bedbugs if you don’t know what they look like. Dr. Cooper
advises, “These insects are wingless, range in color from a light brown as
immatures to a reddish-brown as adults, and range in size from as small as 1/32
of an inch upon hatching from the egg to a quarter-inch as adults. All stages are
visible [to] the naked eye.”
Although
you should be alarmed if you find any type of bug crawling on your seat,
knowing what a bedbug looks like can help your case for switching seats—no one
wants to mess with bedbugs.
If you
find one, alert a flight attendant immediately and see if you can move, ideally
to a section of the plane that’s far away from the infected row. Dr. Cooper
also recommends capturing the insect so the airline has evidence that it was,
in fact, a bedbug aboard its aircraft.
Pick the Right Airline
If you
can, opt for an airline that uses planes with vinyl seats. According to Dr.
Cooper, “Bedbugs prefer textured surfaces, such as fabric, to those that are
smooth, like vinyl—so fabric environments where these pests can stay out of
sight are more likely to foster a successful bedbug population. However, it’s
important to note that the type of seat doesn’t increase the likelihood of
bedbugs being introduced in the first place.”
As for
specific airlines, according to Thrillist and Fox5NY, Air India has had
multiple reports of bedbugs on its planes, including in business class … eeek.
Bedbugs on planes have also been reported on British Airways and United
Airlines in the past.
Exercise Caution Off the Plane
as Well
Unfortunately,
it’s not just planes you have to worry about. You need to be vigilant on your
cab, subway, or bus ride to the airport as well, since bedbugs can be found on
all forms of mass transportation.
What to Do If You See Bedbugs
on Planes
Your
number one priority should be making sure that you don’t bring the bedbugs into
your home after getting off a plane. “The most important thing for passengers
concerned about bedbugs is isolating and addressing their luggage and
belongings upon returning home,” explains Dr. Cooper. “Place luggage inside of
a sealed plastic bag or another container that can prevent them from spreading,
launder belongings in a hot washer or dryer as permitted by clothing care
instructions, and place items that tolerate heat but cannot be laundered into a
portable heat chamber designed for this purpose. Doing so will greatly reduce
the likelihood that travelers inadvertently introduce bedbugs into their home.
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