Passengers were left stranded for days after a Qantas flight was grounded following a bed bug infestation. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating flight QF5 from Perth to Rome on October 9, was taken out of service for a deep clean and fumigation after travellers reported being bitten by the insects during the journey.
Those affected received antihistamine treatment on medical advice, but the aircraft reportedly ran out of the medication. Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human blood, and their bites can cause itching and inflammation. They are not known to transmit disease.
How bed bugs spread and are treated
The pests can travel via clothing, furnishings and personal items, and are difficult to eliminate. Effective treatment requires rapid heating and freezing methods, chemical solutions, and fumigation.
Qantas is not the first airline to face a bed bug issue. In 2017, bed bugs were found on a British Airways flight from Vancouver to London, and in 2024, passengers on a Turkish Airlines journey from Johannesburg to Istanbul raised concerns about an outbreak.
Return flight cancelled and aircraft grounded
Qantas cancelled the return service on Saturday. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been withdrawn from operation for thorough cleaning and fumigation. The airline confirmed that affected passengers received hotel accommodation and were transferred to alternative services within 48 hours of their scheduled 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 was identified on a small number of economy seats,” a spokesperson for the carrier said.
Popular route extended with extra flights
The Perth-to-Rome route is a popular non-stop service for the airline. Qantas has extended the seasonal service until late October by adding 40 extra flights and nearly 10,000 additional seats.
