Malaga airport staff complain of the presence of bugs via social media

Are there bedbugs in Malaga Airport's terminal buildings? Over the weekend several videos did the rounds on social media showing what appear to be bedbugs, especially on the side panels of one of the passenger boarding bridges.

SUR has been able to speak with some airport workers who claim to have seen them (and also recorded them on their mobiles). Some claim to have even been bitten by them. In contrast, a spokesperson for the airport's management team that reports to Aena (Spain's main airport authority and in charge of Malaga Airport) points to the checks done by the pest control company, which was unable to detect any such infestation.

The conclusion from the management is that either there was no impact or "it was very minor."

In an attempt to shed light on the truth, SUR representatives visited the airport this Monday, but were unable to catch sight of any such insects.

It all started last weekend with a series of videos and photos posted on social media in what is alleged to be the Costa del Sol airport. In these images some workers show the presence of what they identify as bedbugs and also ticks. In addition, those affected have shared images of the bites.

Airport employees uploaded photos and videos of the situation to a Whatsapp group as confirmed by cleaners and check-in staff who spoke with SUR on Monday when asked about the existence of these annoying insects. Speaking from a check-in desk in T2, an employee of one of the companies gave assurances that the circumstances described in these groups are not currently happening in the check-in area.

This is also confirmed by cleaning and service workers who do mention that "some time ago there was a problem with fleas and lice", which they believe originated from the homeless people who sleep at the airport. SUR has been able to verify that the places where shops and restaurants are located in T2 and T3, the luggage check-in counters, all toilets and the arrivals area show no signs of the presence of such insects. Other employee sources pinpoint the issue to be at the boarding gates in zone B. These correspond to flights from non-EU countries such as the United Kingdom, Morocco, Canada and Egypt.

Among the testimonies is that of an assistant for people with reduced mobility, who claims to have seen them more than once. "In zone B of the airport, they started to be seen at the beginning of May, especially on the gangways but also in the boarding area, he says.

"A colleague came home with his uniform infested with bedbugs, and now as a precaution before going to work we put repellent on our clothes to ward off the bugs."

He said that those in charge of the airport had been informed, "but three weeks have passed and nothing has been done." "We can't work in these conditions, worrying about where we stand, sit or lean against something in case there are bedbugs."

Those who manage these facilities on behalf of Aena have been quick to respond to these complaints. To this end, a spokesperson has cited the report from specialist pest control company 'Contraplagas Ambiental', which is in charge of such work at the airport's terminals. The first inspection was carried out last Friday, 16 May, and concludes as follows:

"The work area has been checked without finding any incidences of insect or arthropod activity, beyond what was detected in the video sent. Monitoring traps have been placed so that they can be checked on subsequent visits. We have communicated with personnel working in the area and only one person has been located with symptoms compatible with skin irritation, but we cannot be sure that they are bites. This indicates that there is no or very little activity. We will continue to inspect the area in the coming days."

For Monday the company had scheduled a check of all traps placed in the area where there is supposedly an infestation and also a visual inspection. They will continue to report any findings. For the time being, the company has ruled out any infestation of bedbugs at the airport.

Nevertheless, the airport authorities have stepped up sanitisation of these facilities. Since Friday the company in charge of cleaning has been carrying out a deep-clean of the check-in counters, something that happens periodically anyway.