Brief
Qantas cancels Rome‑Perth flight after bedbugs found in economy seats
The airline issued a deep‑clean, provided antihistamines and rebooked passengers within 48 hours.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Qantas Airways cancelled a Rome‑to‑Perth flight on Saturday after a bedbug infestation was discovered in the aircraft’s economy cabin, the New York Post reported.
What happened
Passengers on the nearly 17‑hour Perth‑Rome leg of the journey reported being bitten by insects on October 9. The airline said the problem was identified on a small number of economy seats during the earlier Sydney‑to‑Perth segment and that the aircraft – a Boeing 787 Dreamliner – was grounded for a deep clean before the return leg to Rome, which was also cancelled on October 10.
What the reports add
The Post noted that Qantas told Fox News Digital it apologised for the cancellation and that engineers and maintenance teams carried out a deep cleaning of the cabin, removed seat coverings and soft furnishings, and cordoned off the affected seats. The airline said its fleet undergoes a precautionary disinfectant treatment every 50 days. Passengers were given antihistamines, though the medication ran out, and were later provided hotel accommodation and rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
What was said
Qantas said, “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 [was] identified on a small number of economy seats.” The quote was attributed to Qantas by Fox News Digital. Passenger Hailey Bagnall told 9News Sydney that bedbugs were “crawling over our belongings, our clothing, our Qantas blankets, and they were even crawling along the window.”
How it came about
Entomologist Benjamin Hottel of Orkin, cited by Fox News Digital, explained that bedbugs can hitchhike on luggage and clothing, and recommended travelers inspect and heat‑treat their belongings after exposure. Health officials noted that while bedbug bites cause itching and swelling, the insects are not known to spread disease.
Key facts
- Qantas cancelled a Rome‑to‑Perth flight after passengers reported bedbug bites on a 17‑hour Perth‑Rome leg. (nypost.com)
- The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (nypost.com)
- Qantas provided hotel accommodation and rebooked affected passengers within 48 hours. (nypost.com)
- Passengers were given antihistamines, which later ran out. (nypost.com)
- Qantas said its fleet receives a precautionary disinfectant treatment every 50 days. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Bedbugs found in plane’s economy seats force Qantas airline to cancel flight”
