Virginia family seeks $200,000 over alleged bed bug infestation on KLM flight
A Virginia family of four has filed a federal lawsuit seeking 200,000 dolars in damages from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Delta Air Lines, alleging bed bugs infested their business-class seats on a flight to Europe and left them bitten and their vacation ruined, according to the text of the suit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
Ophthalmologist Romulo Albuquerque, his wife Lisandra Garcia, and their two sons were traveling from Roanoke to Belgrade via Delta flight DL 5087 to Atlanta and a KLM-operated flight to Amsterdam on March 21. Albuquerque and Garcia were seated in 12H and 12K, with their children directly behind them.
About two hours into the KLM flight, Garcia noticed insects crawling on her sweater and felt multiple bites. The complaint, filed Thursday in Roanoke federal court, says cabin crew told the family to remain quiet to avoid alarming other passengers. The family documented the insects with photos and video.
The complaint details extensive bites: “Large red welts on the children’s necks, torsos, legs, and arms. Mrs. Garcia had similar rashes on her lower back and legs, and Mr. Albuquerque had a rash on his neck and torso.” Garcia still has visible scars.
Before landing in Amsterdam, flight attendants allegedly warned the family not to report the infestation, citing concerns about missing their connecting flight to Belgrade.
Once in Belgrade, the family washed their clothing in boiling water and sought medical care. A pediatric clinic prescribed topical steroids and an antihistamine, confirmed the bites were from bed bugs, and recommended “bug bombs” for their home and vehicle. The children were cleared to return to school but suffered embarrassment from visible bite marks.
The tickets, booked through Delta’s SkyMiles program, cost 8,800 dollars. Attorneys representing the family said attempts to settle with the airlines failed. “Therefore, we filed suit to assert this deserving family’s legal rights, and we will continue to move forward until the family is treated fairly for what happened to them,” the attorneys told the Independent.
Delta said the flight was not operated by its airline and will review the complaint. KLM declined to comment on the allegations but said it would respond through “the appropriate legal channels.”
