Passengers on a Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight from Australia to Italy reported bedbug bites during the 17-hour journey that took place on Friday. Complaints came from those seated in the economy section en route to Rome.
During the flight, cabin crew provided antihistamines to affected passengers to alleviate itching caused by the bites. However, the antihistamine supply was eventually exhausted before the aircraft landed in Rome.
After arrival in Rome, Qantas grounded the affected Boeing 787 and cancelled the scheduled return flight from Rome to Perth on Saturday. The airline initiated a thorough deep cleaning of the aircraft following
the identification of the issue.
A Qantas spokesperson said the cancellation “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 airline issued an apology for the cancellation of Saturday’s Rome to Perth service.
Passengers affected by the disruption were provided with accommodation in Rome and rebooked on alternative flights, with new departures scheduled within 48 hours of the original flight time.
Bedbugs are small, wingless parasites that feed on blood and can spread through contaminated clothing, luggage, furniture, and bedding. They
commonly hide in crevices and are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide. Eliminating infestations typically requires extensive cleaning measures such as washing items at high temperatures, tumble drying, or freezing.
This incident aligns with other recent bedbug-related disruptions in transportation. Less than two weeks prior, Southeastern train services in England were cancelled after bedbugs were found in driver cabins. British Airways also apologized in 2017 following a family’s report of bedbug bites on a Vancouver to London flight, and Turkish Airlines faced similar scrutiny in 2025 as reported by The New York Times.
