Passengers reportedly encountered bedbugs on 3 Turkish Airlines flights
Travelers encountered bedbugs on three Turkish Airlines flights, The New York Times reported.
One passenger said they saw bedbugs fall from the ceiling onto another person's lap.
A science teacher said found 13 bite marks on her body after her flight.
Turkish Airlines passengers told The New York Times they had encountered bedbugs on three flights in recent months.
Two incidents resulted in offers of minor compensation, and the airline told one passenger that "no record of any disruption" existed in relation to another, the outlet reported.
Matthew Myers, 28, told the newspaper he and his girlfriend were flying from Istanbul to San Francisco in October.
He said a passenger next to him drew his attention to bedbugs on the seat and falling from the ceiling, before some landed on the person's lap.
"Multiple passengers were asking to move seats after discovering bugs," Myers told the Times.
He said one passenger moved to a jump seat for flight attendants.
Myers said Turkish Airlines offered him a 10% discount on future travel that was valid through the following two months.
In another incident the same month, Kristin Bourgeois told the Times she found bedbugs on her blanket and pillow during a 10-hour flight from Washington Dulles Airport.
The 37-year-old science teacher said she found 13 bite marks on her body afterward and took photos.
After filing her complaint, Turkish Airlines told Bourgeois it required a doctor's medical report before investigating, per the Times. The report said her flight history was later removed from the airline's app, before she was offered 5,000 frequent flyer miles.
Patience Titcombe also told the newspaper she noticed a bedbug on her seat during a Turkish Airlines flight from Johannesburg.
She posted a picture on X in March with the comment: "@TurkishAirlines bedbugs on our inbound flight to IST is every travelers nightmare!!!"
Titcombe said a flight attendant disposed of the bug and dismissed her concern about it.
The Times reported that Titcombe complained through Facebook Messenger and email, and sent photos, although the carrier said "no record of any disruption" existed.
Yahya Üstün, the airline's media relations chief, said in a statement: "Regarding recent news reports about bedbugs, we would like to emphasize that Turkish Airlines remains steadfast in its commitment to the highest standards of safety and comfort.
"Bedbug cases are a general issue occasionally encountered in public spaces, including aircraft. In this regard, we take all feedback seriously and thoroughly investigate each report."
Üstün also said Turkish Airlines planes were "regularly cleaned and thoroughly sanitized before every flight."
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