“Meet the Stowaway: How a Hitchhiking Pest Can Fly Home with You”

Some airborne passengers might carry home more than just keepsakes after completing a journey.

A woman traveling on a Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul reported observing a bedbug crawling on her seat during the flight, as stated by The New York Times earlier this month.

She asserted that the flight attendant dismissed her worries, and she subsequently shared her experience within a Facebook travel group, where others indicated they had also encountered bedbugs on flights.

Fox News Digital contacted Turkish Airlines for a response.

A representative for Turkish Airlines remarked to travel news outlet SimpleFlying.com, “In relation to recent news stories concerning bedbugs, we would like to stress that Turkish Airlines is unwavering in its dedication to the highest levels of safety and comfort.”

“Bedbug incidents are a widespread problem sometimes observed in public areas, including airplanes. In this context, we take all feedback seriously and conduct thorough investigations of each report. In such instances, affected planes are immediately subjected to all essential inspections and treatments,” the representative stated, noting that the airline’s aircraft are “continuously cleaned” and “meticulously sanitized prior to every flight.”

Benjamin Hottel, a Georgia-based Orkin entomologist, informed Fox News Digital that travel is a prevalent method for bedbugs to become a concern.

He explained that bedbugs are blood-sucking pests that seek out humans or animals as their food source.

“They recognize humans through the carbon dioxide we exhale and our body warmth. When not in search of humans or animals to feed on, bedbugs prefer to conceal themselves in dark crevices and cracks,” said Hottel.

He added, “They are usually not observed out in the open.”

“Bedbugs frequently hitch rides on luggage and personal belongings, causing them to unknowingly end up on airplanes,” said Hottel.

  

He further noted, “They are incredibly adept at hitchhiking, traveling on personal items like bags, clothing, purses, and gym bags. Passengers can unwittingly carry them from one location to another.”

In November, Eric Braun, a board-certified entomologist and experienced technical service manager at Terminix, advised Fox News Digital to only unpack essentials while traveling.

Similar to Hottel, Braun also affirmed that bedbugs are proficient at “hitchhiking.”

“If garments are left inside the suitcase and placed on the floor, close to the bed, or within the vicinity of potential hiding places for bedbugs, then the suitcase and its contents can be vulnerable to hitchhiking bedbugs,” Braun stated.

To prevent bringing bedbugs home from journeys, travelers should search for small, flat, oval-shaped, and brownish-red insects on their luggage as well as their shed skins or excrement, as per Hottel.

He noted it “will appear as ink stains near the seams of fabric or furniture.”

“If you suspect you’ve been exposed to bedbugs, place travel clothing in the dryer for 30-45 minutes at the highest heat setting. Vacuum the luggage and put [the] contents of the vacuum in a sealed garbage bag,” Hottel advised.