Passengers Say Turkish Airlines Flights Have Unwelcome Guests: Bedbugs

Last March, while on a Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul, 36-year-old Patience Titcombe from Phoenix spotted a small insect crawling on her seat as she stood up to use the restroom.

“I almost brushed it off,” she recalled, “but my friend stopped me, saying, ‘That’s a bedbug.’” Having dealt with bedbugs during her time in Philadelphia, Ms. Titcombe recognized her friend’s warning was accurate and quickly took a photo of the insect on her seat.

She alerted a flight attendant, who promptly disposed of the bug. However, when Ms. Titcombe and her friend raised concerns about it being a bedbug, the attendant reportedly dismissed them.

“I had to strip down and change clothes at the airport because I have kids — what if I brought bedbugs home?” she said. Despite providing photographic evidence, Ms. Titcombe said her complaints to Turkish Airlines were met with denials. After sharing her experience on social media, she discovered others in a Facebook travel group had encountered similar problems.https://wordpress.com/

In October, two other travelers reported bedbug issues on Turkish Airlines. On October 5, Matthew Myers, 28, from San Francisco, was flying from Istanbul to San Francisco with his girlfriend when a fellow passenger pointed out bedbugs on the seats and even falling from the ceiling. Mr. Myers described seeing bugs land on the passenger’s lap and noted that several passengers requested seat changes. One passenger even moved to a flight attendant’s jump seat. According to Mr. Myers, a flight attendant assured them she had filed an official complaint during the flight.

Later that month, Kristin Bourgeois, a 37-year-old science teacher based in Malaysia, encountered bedbugs on a 10-hour flight from Washington Dulles to Istanbul. “Before we even took off, I noticed a bug on my blanket,” she said. “When I saw another one on the pillow, I knew it was a bedbug.” She later documented 13 bite marks on her body.

Airline passengers are protected by rules for delays and cancellations, but no specific regulations exist for insect infestations. As a result, passengers must rely on airlines’ customer service or pursue small claims court if necessary.

Turkish Airlines did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Bedbugs remain a persistent travel concern. In late 2023, Paris experienced a significant outbreak during Fashion Week, with sightings reported on public transport and other venues. That same year, South Korea launched a nationwide campaign to prevent infestations at transportation hubs.

These pests, which often hide in mattresses, bedding, carpets, and clothing, are easily spread through luggage. Their bites, typically occurring at night, cause clusters of itchy, swollen bumps on the skin. Removing them often requires sealing belongings in plastic bags and undergoing multiple rounds of fumigation.

Preventing and treating bedbug infestations on airplanes is especially challenging. The rapid turnaround between flights and movement across climate zones complicates traditional treatment methods. According to Rob Tuck, president of aviation consultancy Jet Research, de-bugging an aircraft can take two to five days and cost $75,000 to $125,000, including lost revenue. He explained that airlines often use “bug bombs” and pull the aircraft out of service, but this is only feasible when a spare plane is available.

Passengers have expressed dissatisfaction with Turkish Airlines’ response to these incidents. Mr. Myers was offered a 10% discount on future travel valid until December 2024. Similarly, a social media user who shared photos of bedbug bites from an August 2024 flight received the same offer.

Ms. Titcombe reported her experience via Facebook Messenger and email but said the airline’s responses were inconsistent, asking her for flight details she had already provided. The airline later claimed it had no record of any disruption, despite her photographic evidence and in-flight report.

Ms. Bourgeois faced similar challenges. After filing her complaint, she was asked to provide a doctor’s note with a signature, stamp, and date. Attempts to follow up were met with confusion, with airline representatives claiming they couldn’t locate her reservation before suddenly finding it and hanging up. She later discovered her flight history had been removed from the airline’s app. Eventually, she was offered 5,000 frequent flyer miles in lieu of medical documentation.

Operating nearly 400 airplanes and serving over 300 destinations, Turkish Airlines runs multiple daily flights between the U.S. and Turkey, including routes to New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

“The complexity of this issue for airlines is immense,” said Mr. Tuck. “Taking an aircraft out of service is costly, but maintaining a positive cabin experience requires strong leadership.”