Australian airline Qantas has cancelled a flight from Rome to Perth after bedbugs were discovered on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, forcing the aircraft to undergo an extensive cleaning process.
The cancellation occurred on Saturday after passengers on the aircraft’s previous journey from Perth to Rome, which lasted nearly 17 hours, reportedly complained of being bitten by insects.
According to reports, some affected passengers were given antihistamines to relieve itching caused by the bites, but the available supplies eventually ran out.
A Qantas spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft had been grounded to allow engineers and maintenance teams to carry out a deep clean after the problem was identified in a small number of economy-class seats.
“We sincerely apologise to customers for the cancellation of Saturday's Rome to Perth service,” the spokesperson said, explaining that the cleaning was necessary before the aircraft could return to service.
The airline said all affected passengers were provided with accommodation and rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure time.
Bedbugs are small parasites that can hide in clothing, furniture and bedding. Their bites can cause itching and skin irritation, although they do not generally lead to serious health problems. However, infestations can be difficult and costly to eliminate.
The incident adds to a series of bedbug-related disruptions affecting transport services. Earlier this month, several Southeastern train services in England were cancelled after bedbugs were reportedly discovered in drivers’ cabins.
British Airways also apologised in 2017 after a family travelling from Vancouver to London reported being covered in insect bites during an overnight flight.
