A family of four from US‘ Virginia has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $200,000 in damages from Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines after alleging that a bed bug infestation on a transatlantic flight ruined their family vacation, earlier this year.
The complaint, filed on December 18 in the US District Court for the Western District of Virginia, centres on a flight the Albuquerque family took in March from the US to Belgrade, Serbia.
The plaintiffs Romulo Albuquerque, his wife, Lisandra Garcia and their two children, Benicio and Lorenzo Albuquerque, took a Delta-operated flight from Roanoke, Virginia, to Atlanta, and then continued on an Air France-KLM-operated flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam, where the alleged bed bug exposure occurred.
According to the lawsuit, about two hours into the KLM flight, Mrs Lisandra Garcia noticed bugs crawling on her sweater and felt itching, NBC News reported.
‘Insects were present around their seats’
The family claims that insects were present around their seats, and that all four members were bitten multiple times during the overnight flight.
Photographs and video evidence submitted with the complaint reportedly show dead bugs on napkins and riders’ clothing along with large, red welts on the children’s bodies.
The family says they alerted flight attendants, but were allegedly urged to stay quiet so other passengers wouldn’t panic, even though they were suffering bites in close quarters over the Atlantic.
Before landing in Amsterdam, the crew reportedly advised them not to report the issue or they could miss their connecting flight. Upon arrival, KLM staff provided plastic bags for their belongings, but the family still endured discomfort and itching on their onward flight to Serbia.
Delta and KLM respond to the allegations
In a statement to People magazine, Delta said, “As this pending litigation eventually states, the allegations at issue relate to flights not operated by Delta Air Lines. Delta will review the complaint and respond accordingly in due course.”
KLM told the British publication ‘The Independent’ that the company was “unable to comment on the specific allegations at this time” but would address the matter in “the appropriate legal channels.”