These recommendations are drawn only from my own opinion, experience, and common sense. I make no money (nor receive free products) for what I have published nor for sending readers of this page to any store listed below.
There are some very simple steps you can take to avoid both getting bitten as well as bringing home bedbugs from your next flight.
Here are my three golden rules of flying bedbug-free!
1. Get the right luggage and carry-on bags.
Basically, bedbugs like cloth and cracks. (This is why people with bedbug infestations sometimes need to get rid of carpeting, mattresses and furniture). The more cloth and the more cracks you travel with, the more likely the bugs will choose to hitchhike home with you. If you cannot afford to invest in new luggage, make sure you tape all zippers, closures, and seams before boarding the plane, and do a very thorough check of your person and belongings before leaving the airport.
>> All luggage, checked or carry-on, should be hardside. What’s hardside luggage? It’s luggage generally made out of some kind of plastic or metal instead of cloth. You can see some examples here. Why is hardside luggage better? There are many fewer places for the bugs to hide. They won’t choose your cold, crackless bag to make a home on (it’s not warm!), they’ll choose your neighbor’s cozy, cloth rollerboard instead!
Depending on your price range and needs, there are tons of options available on Amazon, eBags, and Overstock.com.
>> If you need a smaller bag for under your seat, choose one with only one pocket. Again, cracks and zippers are your enemy! That means pockets and straps are no good either. If you want to bring some magazines, a laptop, or other small items to your seat in a bag, find one that’s flimsy and light that you can turn inside-out easily, and does not have more than one pocket. Something very simple like this is ideal. Obviously without the extra padding you’ll need to be more careful with your valuables.
These can be found easily on sites like Etsy.com or Amazon.com and are only a few dollars each. A real steal for some peace of mind!
>> Patterned and black items are your enemy; Light, solid colors are best! This goes for your clothing as well as your hand-baggage, and is just plain ol’ common sense. Stuff like dirt is harder to spot on patterned and dark fabric, which is why it’s so popular! Unfortunately, that also means that bugs and eggs are also harder to see. I was able to identify the bugs on my shirt because my shirt was white – If it had been a patterned shirt or a darker color, I would likely not have noticed at all.
2. Check your seat for bugs before you sit in it!
It’s gross, and you’re likely to find lots of the seat’s prior inhabitants’ crumbs, but you have to do it. Check all edges of the seat cushion carefully, including the sides near the armrests. Pull the seat off entirely if you can and check underneath (many seat cushions are actually built to be removable, so don’t be shy). If you can’t pull it completely off, stick your fingers between the armrests and cushion and pull/squish the cushion enough so you can see down the sides of it. Finally, pull the headrest forward and try to look around its edges as well as behind it. Bring a small flashlight if you can, as it will make your life much easier.
Ideally you’ll also want to take a peek into the seat-back pocket as well, although you’re even more likely to find garbage and old crumbs and other, nastier stuff in there than the rest of the seat – and you’re likely safe if you’ve done a thorough job checking elsewhere.
3. Double check all of your luggage – carry-on and checked – before you leave the airport.
The airport is actually a great place to check all of your luggage for bugs. To start, find a spot on the floor that is not carpeted – Ideally somewhere with light-colored, tile flooring (so you can easily spot any bugs that try to escape). Carefully look over the outside of your luggage, paying special attention to any zippers or closures. When you’re confident there are no bugs on the outside, open the case and look closely around the inside of the bag opening. If you used a lightweight bag for your carry-on, dump out its contents (and carefully check over each of those items), and turn the bag inside-out to check in its seams.
If you find bugs in your luggage or on your person, do NOT get in your car or set foot in your house! This is critical. If you step into your car or your house, you will be risking $2000-$5000 or more to fumigate. You can read through what I did for some ideas on how to handle this situation, and there are a lot of other resources on the web you can check out. Basically, nothing you have on your person should be taken into your home until it has been baked in a clothes dryer (outside of your home) or fully sealed into plastic bags to be dealt with later.
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Yes indeed I know all about bedbugs on BA aircraft, as a former crew member I too was well bitten in the crew rest bunks on a 747 aircraft! They now get regular treatments thank goodness!
Remember that you may not easily see bed bugs on your luggage, as they hide easily in cracks and behind linings.
We have some FAQs for avoiding bed bugs when you travel, which your readers may find useful, here: http://bedbugger.com/faqs/travel
I find what works best with carryons is to get a canvas bag, something that can be easily put into a clothes dryer once I’m back home. As for what goes inside, everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING, even electronics) gets sealed in ziplocked plastic bags. They make them all different sizes. And I make a special plastic bag for whatever I’m going to use on the plane that goes into the back seat pocket. It may look funny and might be a bit of a pain in the ass, but it’s a sure way to protect against bed bugs.
Kudos to your efforts in highlighting your plight experienced with BA! These companies need to be put to shame….
You can also encase your carry-on in a large zip-lock polyethylene bag before placing it overhead or below the seat.
And if you suspect you’ve been compromised, there’s a device (specific for this purpose) called pack-tite, a portable “oven” that heats to about 140F and is large enough for a carry-on bag. It will “bake” your things and (if used properly) kill any bed bugs or eggs in them.
I think a simpler rule is not to fly BA – ever.
ALL airlines have trouble with bed bugs not just BA! I work in the industry and believe me plenty of so called top class or superior airlines have planes full of them too!
Why do people always bash BA? Perhaps when it’s gone bust and it’s former staff are out of a job and left to resort to robbing your home you will be happy?!
Lets let every non British company take British jobs away from us. Perhaps then we will have something else to moan about!
@JoJo. That’s right love, because bed bugs are so brand conscious they only ever fly BA.
It’s the (lack of) service that makes the difference…toots. Not the bugs.
Perhaps when there is a level playing field in the airline industry such as free fuel, goverment subs to buy new planes and hire lots of staff, maintain them in China using cheap labour etc then BA might stand a chance!
Most travelers will not likely encounter bed bugs on planes or elsewhere. Upon discovering a presumed bed bug, capture it (or a digital image) so that it can be positively identified. Realize that most bugs found on the bed (or airplane) are not bed bugs. Confirming that a villain is, indeed, a bed bug can then focus meaningful efforts to intervene and reduce unnecessary expense and worry. Find identification help and educational guidance at https://identify.us.com.
Huge follower of your blog, loads of your articles have seriously helped me out. Looking towards improvements!
One way of preventing bed bugs getting into your luggage is use a “luggage encasement” product – there are plenty available on the market – see http://bbalertshop.com/securesleep for one range.
These are great, I feel a lot safer now with the knowledge that my luggage is protected.
i just read an article about you and those bugs. I was like “whatever, happens. somebody doesnt like BA ;)”. But when i read thru your homepage and saw pics of those bites i recognised them from some of my former travels. I cant name airlines, cuz i have flown with several different ones, but i DO remember that i had bites like that SEVERAL times. Always thought its mosquitos.
I am a little shocked i gotta admit and most of all disgusted.
thanks so much for making this public. I am a little sorry for BA tho ;) i actually like flying with them and i know for fact that its not only their planes…Seems to be quite a common problem.
Where are the bedbugs? How come no passenger has yet to catch one? — a piece of sticky tape will do it.
Thanks for making everyone aware of this ever growing problem.
Passengers (and hotel guests for that matter) can protect themselves by using a bedbug travel spray like Catchmaster BBEDS travel spray.
It’s a pesticide (not a natural “organic” – so it really works!) that you spray on your luggage before you travel and it prevents bedbugs hanging on so you don’t bring them home. It lasts two weeks – it really is a must-have travel item these days.
I caught bedbugs flying back from Boston a couple of years ago. It took 7 months of bites and £700 tobRentokill before they were gone. My wife and baby son even moved out for a couple of weeks! American’s response? 100 dollars off the next American Airlines flight! I wouldn’t fly American Airlines again if you paid me!
I’m sorry but I love hearing about bed bug attacks on planes. Two years ago I got bitten on a plane going from India to Europe. I got about 10 bites and I managed to kill one of the bugs.I knew exactly what it was and when I confronted the cabin crew I was told I probably brought it on the plane in my carry on, which I didn’t have. My complaints to the airline went unanswered and even friends of mine didn’t really believe me, so I gave up. Now when I fly, I use a special travel sheet called an allersac. It slips over the headrest and covers the seat, I can even easily unzip it and get into it to sleep. Sorry about your experience but I feel validated, thanks !
We manufacture and sell Allersac travel sheets which can be used on planes, trains, buses, in hotels, motels and hostels. We are the only travelsheet able to be washed in HOT water and dried in HIGH HEAT. Only high temperatures will kill all bed bugs AND their eggs.
Here is another great tip – use Greenbug for People on yourself and your luggage before any travel. Greenbug for People is completely safe and pleasant for you but a deadly repellent for bed bugs. Bed bugs will absolutely avoid you and your belongings. No staining, 2 oz spritzer okay for plane travel, and you will not have a problem with bed bugs. Greenbug is by far the easiest and safest option available!
The behaviour of British Airways leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe even interest in the customer and a problem solving attitude. Insulting a customer is always unwise, especially if the customer is right.
I will avoid BA flights as much as possible.
Remember “United breaks Guitars”? You should make a song out of your bed bug experience and post it on Youtube.
Good luck.
Take Blitz Bed Bugs with you and spray away
One question, you write “…We met at a hotel near the airport – me via airport shuttle – where I …” Did you actually advice the hotel that you might have bed bugs in your luggage? Did you put a warning sign on the things that you bagged and throw away? Sorry for sounding harsh, but it seems that, in order to avoid infesting your own home, you risked somebody else’s business.
Hello folks. I have another great tip how you can protect yourself against bedbugs when travelling:
I am using the anti bed bug sheet by bedbugs-free when going on vacation or any trip. It´s unique and innovative on the market and very effective. Have a look and read more on bedbugs-free.com.
New Bed Bug Protection Packages Now Available: http://bit.ly/i8nala. Use Promo Code MARCH5 at checkout for a 5% discount!
See my K9 bed bug detector “Lillie “at work, on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqjYKtkQIgM
This whole bed bug thing has right put me off travel! I do have a few ideas for safer flying bug-wise:
1) There are permethrin clothing treatments available (they are typically used for camping gear) that can be used before a trip to treat your travel clothes, luggage, carry-on, etc. Permethrin stays on clothing, etc., for a few weeks, is supposed to be harmless for humans once dry, and is supposed to kill bed bugs (amongst other unpleasant creatures).
2) I found the seat inspection tip to be good. If one is squeamish, however, a small blanket could be treated with permethrin and then used to cover the seat before flying.
I hope all the airlines (and hotels too) find the “magic bullet” to solve this thing once and for all.
I plan on going on a cruise in mid may for about 7 days. I hate flying so im gonna be goin with Norwegian eventhough i heard some bad. Im 18 and i want to know what ship is best (im leanign towards dawn) and if its horrible let me know and hopefully which ship is better and if this is the worst ship possible is royal caribbean really that much better. I dont care about rooms and that stuff mostly late night activities are a must