Overheard on CNN.com: Much ado about six-legged stowaways

A North Carolina couple is suing AirTran because they say they saw cockroaches during their flight.
November 16th, 2011
04:27 PM ET
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“I hate to burst your bubble, but you might need those roaches one day. With in-flight meals being so expensive, a six-legged snack might be ideal. It’s fresh too.”
–Burnz 
Flying can be a stressful experience with all the crowds, security lines and other hassles. But one couple says during an AirTran flight in September, they saw cockroaches crawl out of air vents and overhead bins. They are now suing the airline.
AirTran sued over cockroaches on flight
Some people weren’t buying the story. “I bet he put the roaches into his own carry-on so he could sue the airline,” said effonbass. “And I loathe AirTran, but this is taking lawsuits too far.”
Others were disturbed by the case. FloydJohnson noted, “I consider it unreasonable to assume any public space can be kept free of insects. I reject the premise that all paying guests of the airline are entitled to ‘clean, pest-free’ accommodations. Entitlements associated with air travel include safety and (more recently) maximum tarmac waits. If this lawsuit is found valid, any passenger could vindictively introduce insects to an airplane to harm the carrier. The real danger in tight areas is pathogens, not insects.”
zzbbe wrote, “Roaches are all over the tropics, the adults can fly and one could be brought on board in clothing or most anything. Pure silly case and the lawyer should be fined for filling a frivolous lawsuit. Does he think the plane should be gassed each time it lands and every package and person be fumigated for insects when boarding?”
k2807 said, “These people ought to be ashamed of themselves. I would think that their neighbors and even the town itself would not want to be identified. This is an ideal example of where the plaintiffs should be open to sanctions if the case was deemed to be frivolous. Look people, when you deal with the public, this can happen. They should be thankful they didn’t get bedbugs from another passenger.”
tangwystl wrote, “Who’s to say the roaches didn’t crawl out of someone’s carry-on? Are the airlines responsible for people who can’t be bothered to take out the trash for weeks on end and attract pests that travel with them?”
Some comments were funny. columbridae said, “These cockroaches should have been removed, they never paid for the seats, and the few who did insisted that they get to crawl in first class.”
Mordechai said, “Better to encounter roaches on the plane rather than crocodiles in the Everglades, I say.”
Some people joked about the film “Snakes on a Plane.” DarkLogic said, “At least it wasn’t snakes. Then again, who’d make a movie about roaches on a plane?”
DroidXVIII wrote, “Everything in North Carolina is full of cockroaches. Why are they so surprised?”
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Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.
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