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Delta, KLM sued after family reports bedbugs on international flight
A Virginia family has filed a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines after claiming they were bitten by bedbugs during an international flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam. According to court documents, the family noticed insects crawling on their clothing just hours into the trip and later suffered painful bites that required medical treatment. The lawsuit alleges the infestation caused lasting physical and emotional distress, forced them to discard personal belongings, and disrupted their travel plans. Delta says it is reviewing the claims, while KLM has not publicly commented. The case is raising new questions about airline sanitation and passenger safety on long-haul flights.
ATLANTA - A family vacation to Europe turned into what a federal lawsuit describes as a nightmare in the sky, involving possible bed bugs.
Bed bug bites on flight, lawsuit claims
What we know:
The lawsuit claims an international flight from Atlanta to Europe was infested with bed bugs, leaving a family with bites and lasting scars.
The complaint names Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, alleging the family’s ordeal began once the plane was in the air.
A federal court filing outlines a family’s allegations that bed bugs on an international flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam caused injuries, emotional distress, and financial losses, prompting a $200,000 damages claim.
According to the federal filing, the Albuquerque family from Virginia was traveling in March on a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam as part of a trip to Serbia.
Instead of a comfortable long-haul flight, the family says they were repeatedly bitten by bed bugs while onboard.
The lawsuit includes photographs that the family says document the bites.
The complaint says the first bugs were noticed about two hours into the flight, crawling on the mother’s sweater. Within hours, all four family members were allegedly bitten repeatedly, developing painful red welts.
The lawsuit alleges flight attendants were alerted to the problem but that the family was urged to stay quiet to avoid causing panic among passengers. The family says they were forced to throw away clothing and personal belongings because of the infestation.
A federal court filing outlines a family’s allegations that bed bugs on an international flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam caused injuries, emotional distress, and financial losses, prompting a $200,000 damages claim.
The filing says the family is seeking $200,000 in damages for medical expenses, inconvenience and humiliation.
‘One picture is worth a thousand words’
What a Legal Expert Says:
"They put these pictures in there for a reason. What's the saying? One picture is worth a thousand words. They've made their case right there," said Alan Armstrong, a longtime Atlanta-based aviation attorney who reviewed the filing but is not affiliated with the case.
Armstrong reviewed the 17-page federal court filing, which claims the bed bug bites qualify as an accident under international aviation law. He said legal precedent suggests the case could move forward.
"While being bitten by bed bugs on an airplane looks fairly trivial, in contrast to air disasters where people are killed. Nevertheless, it does appear this case is going to stand," Armstrong said.
Aviation attorney Alan Armstrong holds photographs included in a federal court filing that he says help illustrate a family’s bed bug bite allegations during an international flight from Atlanta to Europe, during an interview in Atlanta.
The lawsuit names Delta Air Lines, which the family says sold them the tickets, and KLM, which operated the flight.
"If someone is providing you with international air transport, you have a reason to believe that they're going to conduct a safe and comfortable operation to the extent possible, barring turbulence and things like that," Armstrong said. "People should be able to get on a plane and expect not to be bitten by bugs."
Delta Air Lines responds
What the Airlines Are Saying:
Delta released a statement saying in part, "The allegations at issue relate to flights not operated by Delta Air Lines. Delta will review the complaint and respond accordingly in due course."
The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines logo
KLM had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
Bed bugs explained
Dig deeper:
Bed bugs are small, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed on human blood, typically at night. They are about the size of an apple seed and are known for hiding in seams of mattresses, upholstery, luggage, and clothing.
The insects do not transmit disease, according to public health experts, but their bites can cause itching, swelling, allergic reactions, and, in some cases, secondary skin infections from scratching. Repeated exposure can also lead to scarring and psychological distress, including anxiety and sleep disruption.
A bed bug shown in a photograph included in a federal lawsuit alleging a family was bitten during an international flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam in March.
Bed bugs are efficient hitchhikers and are most commonly spread through travel, attaching themselves to personal belongings such as suitcases, backpacks, and clothing. Infestations have been reported in hotels, apartments, cruise ships, and public transportation, though they are relatively rare on commercial aircraft due to routine cleaning and limited soft surfaces.
Exterminating bed bugs can be difficult and costly. The insects are resistant to many common pesticides and often require professional treatment, including heat remediation, repeated inspections, and disposal of contaminated items.
The Source: The article is based on a federal court filing, photographs included in the lawsuit, an interview with aviation attorney Alan Armstrong, and statements from Delta Air Lines, with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines declining comment.