Qantas was forced to cancel a long-haul service from Rome to Perth on Saturday, October 10, after bedbugs were discovered on the aircraft.
The problem came to light on the previous rotation, flight QF5 from Perth to Rome on October 9, a flight that takes almost 17 hours. Several passengers in economy class complained during the journey that they were being bitten.
Cabin crew provided antihistamines to help with itching, but reports said supplies ran out before the aircraft landed in Italy, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
On arrival in Rome, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded. A spokesperson for Qantas told the BBC the aircraft was withdrawn to allow engineers and maintenance teams to carry out a deep clean after an issue was identified on a small number of economy seats.
In a statement, the airline said: “We sincerely apologise to customers for the cancellation of Saturday’s Rome to Perth service.”
All affected passengers were provided hotel accommodation in Rome and were rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure time.
Qantas said its aircraft undergo regular cleaning and are treated with a long-lasting insecticide every 50 days as a precaution, but a confirmed bedbug case requires a specialist deep clean.
Bedbugs are small, wingless parasites that can hide in seats, bedding and clothing. The UK’s National Health Service says their bites can cause itching and irritation but do not usually cause serious health problems.
Aviation experts say infestations on aircraft are rare but not unheard of, as the insects can survive for weeks without feeding and only become noticeable when numbers grow.
This is not the first time airlines have faced the issue. In 2017, British Airways apologised after passengers reported bites on a flight from Vancouver to London.
Qantas said the affected Dreamliner has now returned to service following the cleaning.
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