Bed Bugs
 

How many have had them? Is it a fact that they put pilots in designated rooms because they are worried they have them?

Never, and I ALWAYS check before I even unpack my bag. First thing I do is pull back the sheets on at least one corer of the bed. Look for black spots. Never found any.... yet.

yes, La Quinta/KRDU room 220! two years back, prior to the renovation

Yea it's matter of when not if. Usually about once a year or two. In my experience they've always happened at middle rank hotels not at the expensive ones like Marriot or Hiltons.

I've had them and they're awful. There were over 20 bites by the time it was all said and done. But that was only once in the >4yrs I've been at it. They actually came from a crew room. However, bedbugs can be in any room at any time regardless of the quality of the hotel. That's because it only takes one person to spread them.

Had bed bugs in DSM. Covered in bites on my arms, legs, feet, sides and back. Found them in my hotel in PHF, which was a Hilton property. None of my stuff ever touches the other bed or the floor. You bring them home and it will cost a fortune to get rid of them.

This may not stop you from being bit but it will help from bringing it home to your family. I take my dopp kit and ipad out and then my whole bag goes in for a few hours (overnight usually). http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004ZMS8P8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1446173733&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=bed+bug+box&dpPl=1&dpID=4 16Y%2BQncirL&ref=plSrch

Bed bugs don't just magically appear. They are brought in by outside people. Yes they group crew rooms but mainly for logistical reasons and placement. I know at my airline our rooms are usually at the end of the hallway where it is more quiet. Also airline crews don't have usual check in and out times. From a house keeping perspective it helps to group our rooms. And bed bugs happen in all hotels. Doesn't matter the best or middle of the road.

You guys need a life, whats honestly the point of this thread???

I bet you're a ton of fun at a party.

Commuters that stay in grungy hotels (such as the econ lodge in CLT) pick up the bugs and bring them into the nice hotels. No crew hotel is immune to bed bugs not even the double trees.

Haahhaha....Marriott and Hiltons considered expensive.

Lollllllllllllllll

Seriously? Where do you go???? :rolleyes:

During sim, one of my sim instructors got bed bugs in his hotel room. On a trip, Captain got bed bugs in his room on one of our overnights... I've found one myself in a room, but fortunately none were tracked home with me or to other hotels. I've had another friend get bed bugs as well. That's 4 instances I've seen/heard of in less than a year. They happen. Always check your sheets before just crawling into bed. It takes like 10 seconds...

The flip side of this is don't believe everything you hear... I used to fly with flight attendants all the time who swore up and down that they had bed bugs at X Y or Z hotel. If you asked them how they knew, it was either "I woke up with a bite" or "I just knew".

Moral of the story, check your bed and don't worry about what others sat about a given hotel unless they have proof. (i.e. Pics or it didn't happen)

I had an issue with bed bugs when I did an overnight in London, Ontario about six months ago. I got to the hotel around 11, turned the lights out, crawled into bed...tried to fall asleep until my friend called me and I turned on the lights since I was wide awake still and wanted to talk for a bit. Right before my eyes, three bed bugs on my comforter. I was shocked! I never grabbed my bags so fast and put them into the hall. Took some pics with my cell phone, put them in a cup, and called the front desk to get a new room. They promptly gave me a room but I still got a horrible night of sleep knowing the hotel was most likely infested.

A week later I got an email from my company saying when they checked up on the incident the hotel claimed no bed bugs were found. Yep, crews still go there and I've heard more than one issue of bugs in that hotel because of renovations. I check my room thoroughly now. Gave me the heeby-geebies!

Use the luggage rack at the hotel and when you get home never place your bag(s) on your bed. I rarely check the bed itself though. Maybe I should start? :eek:

You do know that bugs are adept climbers, right?

Expensive hotels examples would be the Shangri-La, Ritz-Carlton, St Regis, The Four Seasons, Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental, Waldorf Astoria, etc.

Yes I have stayed in all of those hotels at some point and most of them on the company's nickle.

Middle rank hotels are Hilton, Marriott, etc.

I thought we were talking about regional bedbugs. Not major or international bed bugs.

Where we go, the best is Hilton. That's too tier. Middle is la Quinta, and lower we don't go to but are usually motel 6 or super 8. days inn sometimes makes it in that rank too...

You should DEFINITELY start checking your bed... check under the matress and check the folds of the matress at the corners, pull the top sheet back, move the pillows, etc. I do this before my bags are moved out of the entryway of the room.

Side note, interesting the items you find under the matress. I've found dozens of shytty porn mags over the years and quite a few dildos.

I've been attacked by bedbugs after a friends white trash GF moved her stuff into his apartment. Worst insect experience EVER. If I ever accidentally take bedbugs into my home, i'll move and leave every single things behind... they are THAT bad.

I know that prudent hotels employ a service that bings a beagle doggy around to sniff for bedbugs.

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Dude if you ever had bed bugs you would not be asking this question. It is highly relevant since pilots stay in Hotels and Bed Bugs do the same. It has become a major problem in the last 5 years. And if one hops in your luggage and you bring them home they are almost impossible to eradicate and they lay eggs.

Everyone needs to check their bed especially in major cities. I found some in a nice hotel in Denver. Pull the sheets, lift up the mattress and check the creases with a flashlight; that's where they hide. I also had some in an apartment once. I had to rent a machine and heat the room to 125 degrees for about 4 hours to completely kill those lil sum *****es! They crawl on your body in the middle of the night and suck your blood.

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ha...-bed-bugs.html

http://commdocs.alpa.org/Portals/Com...lFlyer0910.pdf

If you get bed bugs in your luggage, a little preemptive action will keep them out of your house. First, never put your bag on the hotel bed. You did already? Crap. Well DONT TAKE YOUR BAGS INTO YOUR HOUSE. That right. Leave it in the garage or porch. Take all the clothes out, put them in a bag and dump them straight into the dryer. (Not the bag though.) Run it on as hot as you can get it. Heat kills them. Take a hair dryer on high and basically cook your bag. Pay attention to the corners and any folds. Don't rush it.

Next time you'll do a better job of checking the hotel room before hand!

I'm itchy just reading this thread.