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Noisy neighbour? Try sharing a plane with an infestation of cockroaches

More than 100 of the creepy-crawlies found on board two international flights bound for southern Chinese city of Kunming

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A photo taken by quarantine inspectors on one of the planes at Kunming Changshui International Airport. Photo: Handout
Stephen Chenin Beijing

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.

The country of origin, date of the flights and airline – or airlines – involved were not revealed in a China News Service report on the incidents on Friday.

But a photo taken by quarantine inspectors who boarded one of the planes at Kunming Changshui International Airport, in Yunnan, showed at least one domestic airline was involved – with Chinese characters visible on the headrest covers.

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It was also unclear at what stage in the flights and where in the plane the cockroaches were discovered.

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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 authority said.

The German cockroach is the smallest of the three most common species of the insect. Photo: Handout
The German cockroach is the smallest of the three most common species of the insect. Photo: Handout
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