Should I be worried about bed bugs on planes?
Hundreds of humans seated for hours inside a metal box with almost no elbow room, lots of dark, hard to access corners, this sounds like a bed bug paradise!
Wherever there are humans, there may be bed bugs. Their favourite way to go around is by hitchhiking in their human host’s belongings. Hotels and other forms of short term accommodation are famously prone to bed bug infestations.
But do you know where else people come and go constantly, together with potentially infested clothes and suitcases? Public transport! There are tons of examples on social media, such as this creepy one from a bus in Philadelphia or that one from an American aircraft.
English pest control professionnals Adam and Catherine Juson think that airplanes are the most challenging environment to treat for bed bugs. They even wrote a book chapter about it. In their own words, the hollow structure of an airplane seat makes for an ideal bed bug hiding place but is very hard to access for inspection and treatment. And when the aircraft is flying 16 hours a day, then bed bugs have an almost unlimited access to food and a great opportunity to thrive.
Where can there be bed bugs in a plane? (or a bus, train, metro,…)
Although bed bugs may occasionally be transferred from a suitcase to another in the baggage hold and bins, the biggest risk to catch one actually comes from the seats and structures immediately next to passenger’s bodies, because that is where a population can thrive and grow. If not detected rapidly, an infestation may expand to other seats and deep inside the cabin structure, complicating treatment even more.
Should I inspect my seat before sitting? How?
Why not, but there may not be much you can do in the moment if you do find bed bugs. Good places to check include seat seems, along the arm rests, front seat pocket and tablet. Bed bugs bite primarily on exposed skin so areas close to the neck, arms, belt, lower legs and ankles may be hot spots. Read here which signs to look for. You can also find interesting airplane inspection tips here.
What can I do if I find a bed bug?
Immediately:
Stepping off a plane is usually not an option so you may have to live through the horrid journey. Start with warning the staff. You may request a different seat but that won’t always be possible and it entails a risk of spreading the infestation to a different part of the plane.
Fortunately there are things you can do to make sure the nightmare ends when you do step off. Here is how to avoid bringing them home.
After reaching the airport:
If possible change clothes, and store used clothes and belongings into a sealed plastic bag.
After coming home or to the hotel:
Carefully inspect your belongings before bringing them inside. Keep any exposed belongings in sealed plastic bags until you have the opportunity to treat them. Treat potentially exposed items by freezing them or washing them 60°C. Keep an eye out for bed bugs in your home for at least a couple of months, since it may take a while for a new infestation to become detectable. Bed bug detection traps may help. Installing diatomeceous-earth-loaded tape under your bed may help get rid of any accidental introduction and give you peace of mind at night.
Can I avoid encountering bed bugs on my trips? Tips for frequent travelers.
It is not possible to prevent encountering bed bugs, but one can take preventive measures to avoid the nightmare of bringing them back home:
- Learn how to inspect your belongings upon every return home, and what to do if you find a bed bug. Check out this video by bed bug expert Dr Dini Miller.
- Equip your home with bed bug detection traps and/or diatomaceous earth-loaded tape under the bed. This way you are ready in case a bed bug gets to your home.
- A hardshell suitcase may limit the risk of getting bed bugs from someone else’s bag.
- A seat cover may somewhat limit the risk to get bitten and pick bed bugs up while on board but covering all potential harbourages may not be possible and bed bugs may also crawl from neighbouring seats.
Also note that traveling during the day will NOT protect you from bed bugs. Although they do prefer to move around in the dark, they will happily bite in broad daylight if they have the opportunity.