Hawaii Airport Re-Opens Gates After Bed Bugs Forced Closure

Three gates in terminal two at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu were temporarily closed after bed bugs were found on May 29, KITV4 reported.

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HONOLULU - Three gates in terminal two reopened on May30 at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Those gates closed overnight for cleaning after bed bugs were found on May 29, KITV reported.

On May 29, the Department of Transportation received reports of pests in the E Gates of Terminal 2, the agency told USA Today in a statement. DOT staff went in to clean the area and remove anything that might have attracted the bugs that day. 

The next day, a Southwest Airlines manager gave DOT a sample of the bugs, which were confirmed as bed bugs. DOT staff returned for a deep cleaning, including carpet extraction and applying a pest control spray.

As reported by KITV, HDOT Director Ed Sniffen said in a statement, “Additional deep cleaning will take place per recommendations over the next three weeks to prevent recurrence. Southwest and the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division have been updated on the actions HDOT is taking.”

This is not the first report of bed bugs causing disruptions at airports. In 2018, bed bugs were found in a seating area at the Kansas City International Airport in Missouri. 

Sources:

KITV
USA Today