Sky Harbor dealing with bed bug issue at Terminal 4

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - It's not the news you want to hear before the holiday travel season, but Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport says they're dealing with a bed bug issue inside Terminal 4.

An official with the airport says yes, bed bugs are here, but no, it's not necessarily a shocking thing.

They cited statistics that say 200,000 people travel through Sky Harbor every day, and officials told us with that kind of volume, sometimes bed bugs can happen. They say they are dealing with it as we speak.

They say the bugs were isolated in three padded benches located in the pre-security area of the airport. They got rid of those benches overnight, and this may not be an unexpected problem, but that doesn't make it less disgusting.

Bed bugs can live wherever there are people to bite, and they can even live for several months without biting someone. Which means they can linger for some time until they eventually find another food source, meaning another human being.

So sorry! I guess this is a downside to being in public areas, but the chances of you taking home a bed bug and then getting an infestation are low.

If you're still nervous, just know bugs need in these situations typically travel on luggage. So wash your clothes in hot water and dry th em on high heat, and maybe set the luggage outside and let it sit in the sun.