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Qantas Cancels Rome-Perth Flight After Bedbugs Found

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 10:19 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Qantas Grounds Dreamliner

Qantas grounded its Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Rome after bedbugs were found on flight QF5.
The insects were discovered in the forward economy cabin during the 17-hour Perth-to-Rome trip on 9 October 2026.
Passengers reported bites, received antihistamines, and said the supply ran out.
Qantas cancelled return flight QF6 Rome-Perth on 10 October, causing up to 48-hour delays.
Affected travelers were given hotel rooms and rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours.

Summary

Qantas Extends Service

Qantas extended its Perth-Rome seasonal service to late October, adding 40 flights and nearly 10,000 seats.
NSW Health states bed bugs are not a public health hazard and do not spread disease.
Qantas performs aircraft disinsections every 50 days as a routine precaution against insect vectors.
Recent train services in England were cancelled after drivers discovered bed bugs, highlighting cross-modal transport challenges.

History

Historical Context

In the early 2000s transport networks such as the London Underground grappled with a bed-bug surge, prompting citywide fumigation as infestations rose across Europe and North America since the 1980s, with U.S. pest-management calls up 71 % from 2000 to 2005. The 2026 grounding of Qantas’s Rome-Perth Dreamliner reflects the same resurgence, leading airlines to schedule regular pest-control cycles.

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Qantas Grounds Dreamliner

Qantas grounded its Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Rome after bedbugs were found on flight QF5.
The insects were discovered in the forward economy cabin during the 17-hour Perth-to-Rome trip on 9 October 2026.
Passengers reported bites, received antihistamines, and said the supply ran out.
Qantas cancelled return flight QF6 Rome-Perth on 10 October, causing up to 48-hour delays.
Affected travelers were given hotel rooms and rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours.

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