[MarcusGB]

The last time i took a BA flight, was a connection from LHR – AMS in Business Class. The seat was falling apart, thick filth on the seat pocket sides and base ahead of us, stained and faded table and the seat looked dusty and also worn out. A shock after coming of a Business flight from Long haul with a good Airline. We actually took photos it was so awful.
Their fleet is not very clean or new, unlike KLM in Europe, with new composite seats, and far more room, and no clutter or old fabrics or fillers. Likewise, I have never seen an unclean Etihad Aircraft in the 11 yrs have flown with them. Have flown KLM for over 20 yrs, know Several Directors, and they have simply not come across this problem. They do Steam clean aircraft on a rota basis, treat the fabrics, and change the seat back covers, and the fleet renewals means new materials and seats.

I have a friend who was bitten by bugs through a hotel stay, overseas. Not only did he notice inflammation, but blood on the sheets the following morning, and he did feel itchy during the night. People who are sensitive to bites will react within a few hrs, and regardless of any form of anaesthetic they inject, they will be seen and felt very quickly.

A Consultant Dermatologist Friend who is a Clinical Director in London, states the same, reactions will be quick, blood seen, and redness and inflammation pretty prompt. Especially for a person not used to bites, has sensitive skin, or allergies. It is about Clutter not always cleanliness, but pockets which they can hide or breed, dust, foam, fabrics.

[FDOS_UK]

Never seen a dirty Lufthansa or Emirates aircraft, either.

[LuganoPirate]

Agree FDOS. bugs apart, Swiss and Lufthansa’s aircraft are usually spotlessly clean and a lot cleaner than the occasional BA flight I’ve taken.

If there are bedbugs on board, I like to think they’re clean bedbugs 😉

[CXDiamond]

TominScotland – 29/02/2016 07:30 GMT

Now, now, behave, taking side swipes at other posters is inappropriate. IME TK planes are very clean.

I was on a LH 735 last week that looked as good as new and in a different league to the BA A380 I was on recently, I think the 735 must have been about 30 years old but you would never have known. It’s all down to how they are maintained or in he case of BA, not.

[LuganoPirate]

Though thankfully never bitten myself, as soon as I return from a plane trip all my clothes worn on the flights go into the wash and I take a good shower with a disinfecting soap. The worse I’ve come across was a fly that flew into the open door while a Swissair flight was on the ground in Dubai. They boarded by stairs in those days.

Cabin crew were running about unsuccessfully trying to catch and kill the fly to the general amusement of all on board. A Scottish man in his kilt stood up, walked towards the fly who then did an about turn and flew out the door! I guess the fly was more frightened of him than the Swiss crew 😉

[SimonS1]

Fortunately having travelled for business over 25 years I have never suffered from this issue. I’m not paranoid and don’t take any particular precautions, just go about my business in a normal way and stick to airlines and hotels I use regularly.

[TominScotland]

CX, not misbehaving intentionally, just pointing out that bed bugs appear on all long-haul airlines and reference to Flyertalk and other sites implicates Swiss, KLM, United, American and others. It is exceedingly unlikely that the others does not include Turkish and also the main Asian and ME airlines. The OP only raised this because it was BA .

[JohnHarper]

“TominScotland – 01/03/2016 18:25 GMT

The OP only raised this because it was BA .”

A tad arrogant even for you Tom, I wasn’t aware that you were party to what I think about things or my motives for action.

As it happens, you were wrong and all you served to do was display your own ignorance.

As for your comment earlier up the thread about TK, well I’m very dependent on them since moving to TRNC and travel with them almost every week which is probably a lot more than their detractors who post here. I have no complaints about them and find their service above average (particularly between IST and LON) but as I’ve said before for me the top airlines are SQ, EY and QR. I also like LH, LX and AF but have little reason to use them these days. So you made another misguided comment. Keep it up, it’s only you who looks stupid.

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