A passenger has filed a $200,000 (about 300 million won) damages lawsuit against airlines, saying they were bitten by bedbugs on an international flight from the United States to Europe.
According to NBC on the 25th (local time), Virginia resident Romulo Albuquerque said that in March, while traveling with family to Serbia on Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, they were attacked by bedbugs on board.
They said that about two hours after takeoff on the Amsterdam-bound flight, they felt bugs crawling over their bodies and were shocked after actually seeing bedbugs moving on their clothes.
The Albuquerque couple immediately alerted the flight attendants, but, according to them, the crew asked them to lower their voices to prevent alarming other passengers out of concern for confusion in the cabin. The family filmed bugs crawling through seat crevices and a dead bedbug placed on an airline napkin, and submitted the footage to the court as evidence.
The affected passengers said that after being bitten by bedbugs, they suffered severe physical discomfort, including hives, rashes, and lesions all over their bodies. They also filed suit against Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, saying they should be compensated for the humiliation and shame they felt from this incident, medical expenditure, and clothing loss.
Although KLM operated the flight, the family purchased tickets through Delta Air Lines' program, so both carriers were sued. As poor hygiene management on aircraft spills into legal battles, anxiety is growing among long-haul passengers.