Bed bugs discovered on a long-haul Qantas flight from Perth to Rome prompted an aircraft grounding and a deep clean in Italy, disrupting travel for passengers whose return journey was cancelled.
Qantas Grounds Boeing 787 After Bed Bugs Bite Passengers on Rome Flight
Travelers on the nearly 17-hour journey from Perth to Rome on Qantas flight QF5 on October 9 found themselves sharing the cabin with unexpected travelers. Parasitic insects were discovered in the front of the economy section of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Travelers reported being bitten during the long-haul flight and raised the alarm with cabin crew.
Passenger Hailey Bagnall described the scene to 9News, noting that the pests crawled over belongings, clothing, and Qantas blankets.
Another traveler recalled being awakened by screams from fellow passengers as the bugs crawled on legs and windows. Supplies of antihistamines provided by crew members to ease the itching eventually ran out during the journey, while some children fell sick.
Engineers Cancel Return Service to Sanitize Aircraft in Italy
Upon landing in the Italian capital, the aircraft was immediately removed from service. The discovery forced Qantas to cancel the scheduled return Rome-to-Perth service on Saturday, October 10, to allow engineering and maintenance teams to execute a deep clean of the aircraft after issues were identified on a small number of economy seats.
Affected travelers scheduled for the return flight experienced delays of up to two days. Qantas provided hotel accommodation and rebooked passengers onto alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure.
We sincerely apologise to customers for the cancellation of Saturday’s Rome to Perth service, which allowed our engineers and maintenance teams to carry out a deep clean of the aircraft after an issue identified on a small number of economy seats.
Entomologists Explain How Bed Bugs Board Aircraft
Stephen Doggett, director of medical entomology at Westmead Hospital for NSW Health Pathology, explained that the insects likely hitched a ride long before takeoff.
Prabin Shrestha, chief executive of cleaning company SKG Services, added that infestations do not signify poor hygiene on the airline’s part, as pests are simply transported unknowingly through passenger luggage and clothing.
Professor Michelle Power, a parasitologist at Macquarie University, noted that the insects are attracted to the scent of human clothes and dark spaces, making hotel luggage an ideal vector. Once inside the cabin, the wingless parasites can easily escape into seating crevices.
Airlines Battle Resilient Pests Confined to Cabins
Qantas maintains a standard precautionary cleaning schedule in which aircraft cabins are disinfected every 50 days.
Bed bugs are among the most resistant insects on the planet and display high resistance to standard insecticides. Few chemical treatments are approved for aviation use because many compounds can damage aircraft aluminum and electrical wiring throughout the cabin.
British Airways dealt with an overnight passenger complaint involving bed bugs on a flight from Vancouver to London in 2017, and passengers encountered bed bugs on at least three Turkish Airlines flights between March and October 2024.