Qantas cancelled flight QF6 from Rome to Perth on 10 October after passengers on the preceding QF5 service reported being bitten by suspected bedbugs. The affected Boeing 787 Dreamliner was removed from service in Rome for a deep clean and fumigation, delaying passengers by up to two days and temporarily taking a long-haul aircraft out of the airline’s operating schedule.
Complaints were made during the nearly 17-hour Perth–Rome flight on 9 October, with some passengers reportedly receiving antihistamines on medical advice. Qantas has not explicitly confirmed a bedbug infestation, describing the matter as an issue affecting a small number of economy-class seats, while passenger reports and media coverage identified the insects as suspected bedbugs.
The airline apologised for cancelling the return service and provided affected passengers with hotel accommodation before rebooking them on alternative flights within 48 hours of their scheduled departure. Engineering and maintenance teams inspected and cleaned the aircraft before its return to service.
Qantas maintains that its cabins are cleaned regularly and aircraft are disinfected every 50 days as a precaution. The source of the insects, the number of affected passengers and the aircraft’s registration were not disclosed.