A Virginia family has filed a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, alleging their international trip turned into a nightmare after they were bitten by bedbugs mid-flight.
According to the complaint, obtained by NBC News, the Albuquerque family—Romulo Albuquerque, his wife, Lisandra Garcia, and their two young children—allege they were exposed to bedbugs while traveling overseas earlier this year.
The family claims the insects caused painful bites that resulted in “raised and itchy welts, lesions, and rashes” across their bodies, ultimately derailing what was meant to be a family visit abroad.
The lawsuit states that the family traveled from Roanoke, Virginia, to Atlanta on March 21, then continued on a KLM-operated flight to Amsterdam, with a final destination of Belgrade, Serbia. Although the tickets were purchased through Delta’s SkyMiles program, the long-haul portion of the journey was operated by KLM, according to court filings.
Roughly two hours into the transatlantic flight, Garcia reportedly felt an unusual sensation. “She began feeling like bugs were crawling on her and that she was being bitten,” the lawsuit alleges, adding that she soon noticed insects crawling on her light-colored sweater. The family says they immediately notified flight attendants after realizing what was happening.
The complaint further claims that flight crew members asked them to remain quiet to avoid alarming other passengers. Meanwhile, the family documented the situation by taking photographs and videos, which allegedly show insects moving on clothing and within the seams of the aircraft seats. Images submitted with the lawsuit also include a napkin and jacket that appear to be covered with dead insects.
In addition to physical injuries, the family says the incident caused significant emotional distress. The lawsuit claims the experience led to humiliation, anxiety, medical expenses, and the loss of personal belongings, including clothing they say had to be discarded due to contamination.
Delta responded to the lawsuit by saying that the flights in question were not operated by Delta itself and said the company would review the complaint and respond “in due course.” KLM, meanwhile, said it could not comment on the allegations but would address them through proper legal channels.
The family is seeking at least $200,000 in compensatory damages from the two airlines as the case moves forward.