Passengers on a Qantas flight from Perth to Rome were left stranded for days after the aircraft was grounded following a bed bug outbreak. The flight, QF5, departed on October 9, and passengers reported being bitten by bugs mid-flight. They were treated with antihistamines on medical advice, but the aircraft reportedly ran out of the medication.
Bed Bug Outbreak and Response
Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human blood, and their bites can cause itching and swelling. They are not known to spread disease. The bugs can spread through clothing, furniture, and personal belongings, and are difficult to treat. Rapid heat and freezing techniques, alongside chemical treatments and fumigation, are needed to treat them.
Qantas was forced to cancel the return flight on Saturday. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been taken out of service for a deep clean and fumigation. Qantas said that those affected were provided with accommodation and rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure.
Carrier Apology and Service Impact
"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.
Qantas is not the first carrier to face a bed bug problem. In 2017, bed bugs were found on a British Airways flight from Vancouver to London, while in 2024, passengers on a Turkish Airways flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul complained of a bed bug outbreak.
Route Expansion Continues
The Perth-to-Rome route is a popular non-stop service for the airline. It has extended the seasonal service until late October by adding 40 flights and almost 10,000 seats.
