Qantas cancelled its Rome-to-Perth flight on Saturday, 10 October 2026, after passengers on the previous segment reported bedbug bites. The affected Boeing 787 Dreamliner was withdrawn from service to undergo thorough deep cleaning by engineers and maintenance staff.
Passenger Impact and Rebooking
Passengers booked on the cancelled flight experienced delays of up to two days. Qantas provided hotel accommodation and secured rebooking on alternative flights within 48 hours of the original departure, ensuring passengers resumed travel as promptly as possible.
Qantas Response and Aircraft Sanitization
A Qantas spokesperson apologized for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation. The airline emphasized the grounding was necessary after discovering bedbugs on a small
number of economy seats. Qantas noted that it conducts regular cleaning routines and disinfects its aircraft every 50 days as part of its preventive measures against infestations.
Health Information and Bedbug Context
According to the UK’s NHS and Australia’s Victorian government Better Health Channel, bedbug bites are typically itchy but not serious and do not transmit diseases. Bedbugs are small, wingless insects that feed on blood and can spread via clothing, luggage, and bedding. Recommended treatments include washing fabrics in hot water and tumble drying or sealing items in plastic bags and freezing for several days.
Operational Implications
This incident shows how bedbugs found in a limited
number of economy seats led to the grounding of a long-haul Boeing 787 aircraft. Addressing such infestations requires extensive cleaning, which can disrupt scheduled flights significantly.
