A fear of flying is extremely common. And while odds are that you most definitely will not die in a crash, it is still daunting being trapped in any one place without much of a way to escape for an extended period of time.
Additionally, all of the security measures involved in just getting onto the plane are another reminder that the trip could be potentially dangerous.
Needless to say, there are a number of things that can go wrong when it comes to air travel, but a mom and daughter had an experience on a flight that no one was quite expecting.
According to Forbes, the Canadian mother and daughter were traveling from Vancouver to London when they noticed bed bugs had infested their assigned seats.
Although the name bed bugs suggests that the tiny critters' sole habitat is the bedroom, these pests can actually permeate a number of locations.
Heather Szilagyi and her daughter were on a nine-hour flight from Canada's west coast to London when they discovered that they were sharing their seats with some creepy-crawlies.
Heather tells The Star, "To actually see them [bed bugs] pouring out of the back of the TV on the seat, that was actually really gross."
Forbes reports that the pair were unable to change their seats due to the flight being full.
So, they had to quite literally pay the consequences of being in close proximity to bed bugs for over nine hours.
Heather took to Twitter to share photos of the horrific ordeal and to alert the media about bed bugs being a problem on air travel.
The airline has since apologized, refunded their tickets, and given them business class return tickets back to Vancouver.
Murray Isman, professor of entomology and toxicology at the University of British Columbia, explains to The Star that it's no surprise bed bugs have found their way onto planes.
He explains:
One of the ways bed bugs travel is in hand luggage and personal luggage.
Where there is a lot of movement of people in and out, sooner or later, someone is going to transfer these things in something they’re carrying, and this is how they get spread from hotel to hotel to hotel, and this is how people bring them home.
There have even been reports of bed bugs infesting other public places like movie theaters and, unsurprisingly, hotel rooms.
Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and not necessarily the easiest to spot.
However, you'll know that you have them if you wake up with some unpleasant bug bites.
One of the favorite places for bed bugs to hide are between seams.
In other words, bed bugs aren't only found in beds. Don't be surprised if you get an unwelcome visit from one beyond their traditional stomping grounds.
Be sure to SHARE this cautionary tale with your loved ones!
