Passengers aboard two international flights bound for the southern Chinese city of Kunming had to share their plane with some unwanted travelling companions recently, with a total of more than 100 cockroaches found on board.
Passengers aboard two international flights bound for the southern Chinese city of Kunming had to share their plane with some unwanted travelling companions recently, with a total of more than 100 cockroaches found on board.
A photo taken by quarantine inspectors on one of the planes at Kunming Changshui International Airport. Photo: SCMP
The country of origin, date of the flights and airline – or airlines – involved were not revealed in a China News Service report on the incident on Friday.
But a photo taken by quarantine inspectors who boarded one of the planes at Kunming Changshui International Airport, in Yunnan, showed it was a domestic airline – with Chinese characters visible on the headrest covers.
It was also unclear at what stage in the flight and where the cockroaches were discovered.
The German cockroach is the smallest of the three most common species of the insect. Photo: SCMP
Pest control experts were called in on both occasions to remove the insects and fumigate the cabin, catering area, toilets and cargo hold, the airport authorities said.
Toilet in the plane Photo: travel.china.com
The insects – identified as Blattella germanica, or German cockroaches – were caught and are being examined for pathogens by the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau at the airport, the report said.
The German cockroach is the smallest of the three most common species – the other two are American and Oriental cockroaches.
American cockroaches are the largest, growing up to more than 5cm in length, while the German variety – which is known as the Russian cockroach in Germany – are usually less than a third of that size.
The airport could not be reached for comment. Airport authorities asked the carrier involved to improve hygiene on its planes, especially those flying into and out of China, according to the report.
