Forget snakes on a plane, one American Airlines passenger unlocked an entirely new fear when flying.
The unnamed traveler was given a first class ticket to a nightmare flight after discovering a bedbug crawling up their leg during the journey from New York to Detroit.
The passenger, who posted a photo of the itch-inducing sight to Reddit under the username @HaddawayThrowaway978, was sitting in first class on American Airlines flight 4412 out of La Guardia when he noticed the tiny brown bug making a move.
‘Found this bedbug crawling on my leg mid-flight,’ the unfortunate passenger wrote in the comments.
‘I put it on the cocktail napkin to show the FA who promptly informed the Captain using the phone/intercom.’
The unnamed traveler was given a first class ticket to a nightmare flight after discovering a bedbug crawling up their leg during the journey from New York to Detroit
The disgusted flyer added the flight staff logged a complaint via the American Airline’s website with all the flight information – but was left concerned they didn’t clean the plane well enough.
‘I just checked and they turned the plane around on time… so I can’t believe they cleaned it properly,’ they wrote.
According to the passenger, they saw the bug crawling on their pant leg while reading a book during the flight.
‘It was a sharp contrast to the dark pant color,’ he explained. ‘I was able to have it climb on my finger and then put it on the napkin to show the FA.
‘Damn thing tried to bite my finger! SO GROSS!!’
The passenger said they changed clothes at the airport and immediately put the clothes they were wearing into a bag.
‘They are being washed right now. Hoping no stragglers got on my backpack or checked bag during the clothing swap. I already logged a complaint with AA,’ they wrote.
The poster later shared the response from the airline, which they declared was ‘insufficient.’
The passenger, who posted a photo of the itch-inducing sight to Reddit under the username @HaddawayThrowaway978, was sitting in first class on American Airlines (stock image)
‘Please accept my deepest apologies for the experience you’ve described,’ the user shared on the Reddit thread.
‘Our commitment to placing you at the center of all we do is unwavering, and your feedback underscores this commitment. Rest assured, your insights will be made available to our leadership team as we work to ensure we provide the high-quality customer experience you deserve.’
‘I can certainly understand how uncomfortable it must have been for you when finding a bug on your seat,’ they wrote.
‘We want all our customers to have a pleasant flight when traveling with us. I am sorry to hear that was not your experience.
‘As always, we rely on our customers’ feedback to help us improve our service and uphold our commitment to provide the best travel experience possible. We look forward to rebuilding your confidence in the future.
‘As a tangible apology, and in hopes of restoring your confidence in us, I’ve credited your AAdvantage account with 7,500 bonus miles. The adjustment should be reflected in your account shortly.’
The passenger updated the thread after expressing their displeasure with how the situation was handled and commenters were disgusted by the begbug sighting.
‘They’re treating it like there was a cockroach on the plane (gross but inconsequential). This is a bedbug that could cause you major issues,’ one user pointed out.
‘Nice, new fear unlocked. OP I’m sorry this happened to you but glad you caught it!’ added another.
‘Omg! This has unlocked a new fear!!! Can you please report this to AA so they can treat the plane!?!?’ someone else wrote.
DailyMail.com has contacted American Airlines for comment.
Pest control experts recommend that you cover airline seats, keep your bag safe by placing it inside a plastic bag and pack your own pillow and blanket to avoid bed bugs sneaking off the plane with you.
Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. They are long and brown with a flat, oval shaped body.
Young bed bugs, also called nymphs, are more translucent and whitish-yellow in color, the EPA website states.
The most common bed bug, known as cimex lectularius, feeds on blood, causing itchy bites that irritate the skin.