Return flight cancelled after bed bug outbreak mid-air during 16-hour journey

Return flight cancelled after bed bug outbreak mid-air during 16-hour journey Passengers onboard the Perth-to-Rome Qantas flight reported bites and the aircraft is now being treated for bed bugs - tiny insects that survive on human blood Passengers were left stranded after an international flight was grounded due to a bed bug infestation. Passengers aboard flight Australian carrier Qantas's QF5 from Perth to Rome on October 9 reported being bitten by the insects during the journey. Travellers were treated with antihistamine on medical guidance, but the aircraft reportedly exhausted its supply of the medication. Bed bugs, tiny insects that survive on human blood, can travel via clothes, furniture and personal items. Their bites can trigger itching and inflammation. Swift heating and freezing methods, combined with chemical solutions and fumigation, are required to tackle them. Qantas isn't the first airline to encounter a bed bug crisis. Bed bugs were discovered on a British Airways service from Vancouver to London in 2017 while in 2024, travellers on a Turkish Airways journey from Johannesburg to Istanbul raised concerns about a bed bug outbreak. Qantas cancelled the return service on Saturday and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been withdrawn from operation for thorough cleaning and fumigation. The popular Perth-to-Rome route offers a non-stop service for the airline and Qantas has stretched the seasonal service until late October by introducing 40 additional flights and nearly 10,000 extra seats. Those impacted 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.