British Airways apologises for bed bug infestation

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British Airways apologises for bed bug infestation | Secret Flying

British Airways has apologised to a Canadian family after they were bitten by bed bugs on an overnight flight from Vancouver.

 

Heather Szilagyi, her fiancé, Eric Neilson and her seven-year-old daughter Molly, were on an overnight British Airways flight from Vancouver to London earlier this month.

 

Szilagyi said she had first noticed the bed bugs on the seat in front of her, then spotted another crawling out from behind a TV monitor. “I wanted to grab it but they’re quick and it crawled back inside, behind the screen,” she told the Canadian broadcaster CTV.

 

Szilagyi says she alerted a flight attendant to the insects, but, while the attendant apologized, there was nothing she could do.

 

“She was like, ‘Oh okay, sorry about that. We’re sold out. We don’t have anywhere to move you’,” Szilagyi was told.

 

When the mother and daughter woke up from their in-flight nap, they were covered in bug bites.

 

The family called the airline’s customer service number to ensure they were not on the same plane for the return flight but could not get through to an agent.

 

It was only until Szilagyi posted photos on Twitter with the hashtag #britishairways that the airline took notice.

 

“We have been in touch with our customer to apologize and investigate further,” a British Airways representative said in a statement.

 

“British Airways operates more than 280,000 flights every year, and reports of bed bugs on board are extremely rare.

 

“Nevertheless, we are vigilant and continually monitor our aircraft.”

 

British Airways upgraded the family to business class for the flight home.