Low-cost carrier Scoot and cinema chain Golden Village (GV) are under the microscope, after being hit by a rash of complaints from customers last week saying they had been bitten by bedbugs.

In a Facebook post last Saturday, Scoot passenger Jiamin Han said she had gone on a day trip to Hong Kong on Aug 8 and was left with "a cluster of bedbug bites".

Ms Han said she had flown on flights TR2062 and TR2069, and noticed the bites on her arms and back after she returned. She also said there had been a previous alleged incident of bedbugs on a Scoot flight, and that the airline had ignored her messages about it.

Meanwhile, cinema patron Debra Low, 28, posted a complaint on GV's Facebook page last Friday afternoon about bedbugs at two of its cinemas, showing photos of bumps on her skin.

Ms Low told The Straits Times last Saturday that she first noticed a rash on her skin after going for a movie at the GV cinema in City Square Mall on July 23. "I thought maybe it's just a one-off incident and didn't think too much of it," she said.

However, she went to watch another movie at a cinema in Junction 8 on Aug 7 and towards the end of the film, felt an itch on her back.

Ms Low, who works in marketing, said she found raised bumps on her skin when she got home.

A GV spokesman said the cinema chain blocked the affected seats once it received Ms Low's feedback. She added that no bedbugs were detected and that Ms Low had been informed.

GV said it responded the same way for another case reported in July, where "there were no bugs detected" as well. It said preventive treatment was conducted at the affected areas in both cases, and that a pest control unit conducts monthly inspections for all its cinemas.

Scoot has since apologised to Ms Han and said it is investigating the alleged incident. The budget carrier responded on her Facebook comment thread, asking her to send her booking reference number or seat number, so that it could investigate the matter and get in touch with her.

In response to queries from ST, a Scoot spokesman said: "We regularly clean and disinfect our seats to ensure a pleasant and clean cabin experience for our guests."

The spokesman added that the previously reported case had already been investigated, and there were no bedbugs on the plane.

"Regardless, we take this seriously and are currently investigating after having got in touch with the guest for more details."

When asked if Jetstar had faced similar incidents and what it had done to address them, its spokesman said: "We investigate all queries and complaints from our customers. For the well-being and comfort of our customers, our cabins are cleaned and Jetstar Asia has not received any such complaints, nor have we found any bedbugs on board our aircraft."

• Additional reporting by Felicia Choo