What started as an excited family trip to Europe quickly turned into what one Virginia family describes as a nightmare at 30,000 feet. A lawsuit filed on December 18 in Virginia claims a family was bitten by bed bugs while flying internationally on a trip booked through Delta Air Lines, with the transatlantic leg operated by KLM.
The family says the physical discomfort was only part of the ordeal, alleging flight attendants made the situation worse once they spoke up. According to the complaint, the family boarded a Delta flight from Roanoke, Virginia, to Atlanta on March 21 without issue. From there, they connected to a Delta-booked flight to Amsterdam operated by KLM. Roughly two hours into the overseas flight, Lisandra Garcia says she felt what seemed like bugs crawling on her skin, followed by painful bites.
The lawsuit includes photos that appear to show bugs on her sweater and on an airline napkin, along with images of bite marks on Garcia, her husband, Romulo Albuquerque, and their children. The family claims all of them were bitten during the flight.
When Mrs. Garcia and Dr. Albuquerque alerted flight attendants, they said they were told to lower their voices to avoid causing a “panic” among passengers. The complaint also alleges a flight attendant warned them not to tell others or risk missing their connecting flight.
After landing in Europe, the family sought medical care and later consulted a physician in the United States. While they eventually received medical clearance, they say the healing process was slow and painful, leaving welts, rashes, and lasting scars.
Delta responded by stating, “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 has not yet responded.
The family is requesting a jury trial and seeking at least $200,000 in damages.
