Qantas cancels Rome-Perth flight after bedbug reports

Qantas cancelled its Rome-to-Perth service after passengers on the preceding Perth-to-Rome flight reported bedbugs and bites. The Boeing 787 was taken out of service so engineers and maintenance teams could deep-clean it, the airline said. The affected flight, QF5, travelled from Perth to Rome on October 9. Passengers reported being bitten during the journey, which lasted nearly 17 hours. Qantas said an issue had been identified in a small number of economy seats, prompting the cleaning and cancellation of the return service, QF6. The reports describe the cancellation as occurring on Saturday, October 10. Qantas said passengers affected by the disruption received accommodation and were rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure. The airline apologized for the cancellation. Passengers’ accounts included reports of bugs on clothing and belongings as well as bites. One passenger, quoted in a report, described insects on shoes and clothing. The reports do not include inspection findings establishing how extensive the infestation was or where it began. Qantas’s explanation for the deep cleaning was repeated across the reports, which cite the airline.