This 'hitchhiking' bug can travel on planes, follow passengers home: expert weighs in
Some air travelers might be bringing home more than just souvenirs after embarking on a trip.
One woman traveling on a Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul said she witnessed a bedbug crawling on her seat while in the air, The New York Times reported this month.
She claimed that the flight attendant dismissed her concerns, and she later posted about her experience on a Facebook travel group where others said they have seen bedbugs on flights, too.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Turkish Airlines for comment.
A spokesperson for Turkish Airlines told travel news source SimpleFlying.com, "Regarding 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."
"Bedbug cases are a general issue occasionally encountered in public spaces, including aircraft. In this regard, we take all feedback seriously and thoroughly investigate each report. In such cases, affected aircraft are promptly subjected to all necessary inspections and treatments," the spokesperson said, adding that the airlines' aircraft are "regularly cleaned" and "thoroughly sanitized before every flight."
Benjamin Hottel, a Georgia-based Orkin entomologist, told Fox News Digital that travel is a common way for bedbugs to become a problem.
He said that bedbugs are blood feeders seeking humans or animals as a food source.
"They detect humans through the carbon dioxide we exhale, and by our body heat. When not seeking out humans or animals to feed, bedbugs like to hide in dark cracks and crevices," said Hottel.
He added, "They are typically not seen hiding out in the open."
"Bedbugs often hitchhike on luggage and personal items, they can unknowingly end up on airplanes," said Hottel.
He added, "They are also incredibly skilled at hitchhiking, traveling on personal belongings such as luggage, clothing, purses and gym bags. Travelers can unknowingly transport them 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 only unpack the essentials while traveling.
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"Personally, I place my toiletries on the bathroom counter, hang clothes that need to be hung in the closet and then leave everything else in my suitcase and place my suitcase in the bathroom," he said.
Like Hottel, Braun also said that bedbugs are good at "hitchhiking."
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"If clothes are left inside the suitcase and placed on the floor, near the bed or within the radius of potential hiding spots for bedbugs, then the suitcase and its contents can be at risk for hitchhiking bedbugs," said Braun.
To avoid bringing bedbugs home from trips, travelers should look for small, flat, oval-shaped and brownish-red bugs on luggage as well as their discarded skin or feces, according to Hottel.
He said it "will look like ink stains near the seams of fabric or furniture."
"If you suspect you were exposed to bedbugs, put travel clothing in the dryer for 30-45 minutes at the highest heat setting. Vacuum luggage and put [the] contents of vacuum in sealed garbage bag," Hottel said.