Holidaymakers may have more than airport delays and transport strikes to worry about this year. An unexpected travel nuisance could be lurking on their next flight.
Bed bugs are increasingly being reported on trains and aircraft, prompting one specialist to warn that the world could be experiencing a “peak bed bug” period.
Martim Gois, co-founder and chief executive of bed bug safety certification firm Valpas, told the Daily Mail exclusively that more of the pests are being carried through travel networks than ever before.
Last month, several Southeastern trains were removed from service after bed bugs were reportedly found on staff bags and in drivers’ cabs.
The infestation was reportedly so serious that one driver refused to take a train across the depot unless he was wearing a white, full-body protective suit, according to The Telegraph.
The problem has now reportedly spread to air travel, after passengers on a Qantas service from Perth to Rome said they were bitten during the flight earlier this month.
Valpas co-founder Martim Gois has warned that the world is experiencing “peak bed bug” levels
Passengers on a Qantas flight reported being bitten by insects during the journey earlier this month
Qantas subsequently cancelled the aircraft’s return service the next day, taking the Boeing 787 Dreamliner out of operation for thorough cleaning and fumigation.
The airline said passengers affected by the disruption were given accommodation and placed on alternative flights within 48 hours of their scheduled departure.
So why are bed bugs appearing on trains and planes with increasing frequency?
“Bed bugs move with travellers. The more people arriving and departing, the more opportunities there are for bed bugs to move with them,” Mr Gois explained.
He said it was a mistake to view every infestation as a sign of poor local hygiene. “It has nothing to do with how clean a plane, train or hotel is. It is a travel problem, and it grows as travel increases.”
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Hotels are often associated with bed bugs because large numbers of travellers can pass through the same rooms within a short period.
However, the insects can also reach aircraft by hiding in passengers’ luggage before boarding.
“On planes and trains, they are simply passing through while searching for somewhere to settle, such as a bed,” Mr Gois said.
On a long-haul journey, he explained, passengers remain still for hours in a dark cabin, giving a hungry bed bug the chance to emerge and feed. However, the insects do not usually remain on an aircraft in the same way they establish themselves in a bed.
The insects also caused several Southeastern trains to be taken out of service in September
Mr Gois said European capitals popular with British tourists have recorded an annual rise of between 20 and 25 per cent in bed bugs being carried into hotels and intercepted upon arrival.
“The reason is where they live: bed bugs do not live on planes; they live around beds,” he added.
‘Hotel and holiday-rental beds change guests every night, so that’s where bed bugs settle and where they set off from to homes, trains and planes.’
After the Qantas incident, a spokesman for the airline said: ‘We sincerely apologise to customers for the cancellation of Saturday’s Rome to Perth service, which allowed our engineers and maintenance teams to carry out a deep clean of the aircraft after an issue was identified on a small number of economy seats.’
Meanwhile Oly Turner, Head of Drivers for Southeastern, said at the time: ‘We have a great relationship with our drivers, who have helped hugely in cooperating with us over these isolated incidents.
‘When we receive reports such as these we check trains thoroughly before they are put back into service when given the all-clear. Cases have been contained to the drivers’ cabs in only two of our trains and no bed bugs have been identified in areas for passengers.
‘We continually carry out robust cleaning across our trains and stations, ensuring our customers and employees can travel safely and with confidence.’