Qantas canceled a Rome-to-Perth flight scheduled for Oct. 10 after reports of bedbugs on an earlier leg led the airline to take the aircraft out of service for additional cleaning. Qantas said the cancellation gave maintenance teams time to conduct a deep clean after an issue was found on a limited number of economy seats.
The reports came from passengers aboard a Perth-to-Rome flight that took nearly 17 hours. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that travelers said they had been bitten during the Oct. 9 journey. The aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Passengers also told 9News Sydney they saw insects on personal belongings and around their seats. Hailey Bagnall said they were crawling on clothing, blankets and near a window. Other travelers described being awakened by passengers screaming and said the insects continued to appear. Some passengers said they found bugs in shoes and on clothing while gathering their luggage.
According to 9News, travelers alerted the crew during an earlier Sydney-to-Perth segment. Before the aircraft continued on its long-haul route to Rome, Qantas said staff took preventive steps that included deep-cleaning the cabin, removing seat coverings and other soft furnishings, and restricting access to affected seats.
The airline said its planes receive regular cleaning and a precautionary disinfectant treatment every 50 days. The later cancellation was made to allow for further cleaning, Qantas said in an apology to customers. The airline did not provide details in the supplied account about how the insects entered the cabin or how many passengers were affected.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that passengers were given antihistamines to ease itching from bites, but that the supply eventually ran out. Following the canceled Rome departure, affected travelers received hotel accommodation and were booked onto alternative flights within 48 hours.
Bedbugs can travel on personal items, according to entomologist Benjamin Hottel, who previously spoke to Fox News Digital. The source material describes the insects as small, blood-feeding pests whose bites may cause itching and swelling. It also says health officials do not consider bedbugs a public health hazard and that they are not known to spread disease.
Hottel advised travelers who suspect exposure to inspect luggage and clothing after a trip. He said placing travel clothes in a dryer on high heat for about 30 to 45 minutes can help kill the insects before they spread at home. This is general advice attributed to Hottel, not a statement from Qantas about its response to the aircraft incident.
