A Qantas Boeing 787 ended up grounded in Rome after passengers on the Perth–Rome flight reported bed bugs. The incident is uncommon, but it shows how these insects move and what travellers can do to limit the chance of bringing them home.
Flight QF5 left Perth for Rome on 9 October. On the nearly 17-hour sector, people toward the front of economy began reporting bites. Cabin crew handed out antihistamines. Supplies ran out before the plane reached Fiumicino. Passengers later said insects crawled across belongings, clothing, Qantas blankets and the window area. One traveller found them in shoes and on jumpers while collecting bags. Others spoke of being woken by screams, including from children.
After landing, Qantas took the aircraft out of service for a deep clean. The return flight, QF6 from Rome to Perth the next day, was cancelled. The airline apologised and said the problem involved a small number of economy seats. Engineers and maintenance teams handled the cleaning in Rome. Passengers booked on the cancelled service received accommodation and were rebooked on other flights within about 48 hours.
Qantas said its cabins are cleaned regularly to a high standard and that aircraft receive disinfectant treatment every 50 days. A full deep clean is still needed once bed bugs are confirmed. Experts believe the insects most often board in someone’s luggage or clothing after a stay in an infested hotel. They prefer dark, tight spaces and can go long periods without feeding.
For anyone due to fly QF6, the cancellation meant extra time in Rome. Because the flight was leaving from an EU airport, European passenger rights rules can apply to short-notice cancellations. That may include cash compensation on top of hotels and meals, depending on the exact circumstances and arrival times.
How to lower the chance of bed bugs on the road
You cannot control what other passengers bring onto a plane. You can reduce the risk in hotels and limit how far any bugs travel with you.
In a hotel room, check the mattress seams, headboard and bedside furniture for dark spots, tiny eggs or live insects before you unpack. Keep suitcases on the luggage rack or in the bathroom rather than on the bed or carpet. Avoid putting clothes straight into drawers. If the room looks questionable, ask to move.
On the aircraft itself, options are limited. Report anything you see to the crew right away so they can note it and, where possible, move people. After the flight, bag the clothes you wore and wash them on a hot cycle as soon as you can. A hot tumble dry helps too. Do the same with anything that sat on the seat or floor.
Bed bugs turn up on trains, planes and in hotels because they are associated with travel. Most trips pass without any problem. If you are planning a long-haul flight or a multi-stop trip, a few simple habits make a difference.
Inspect the room, keep bags elevated, and deal with laundry promptly on the way home. Those steps will not remove every risk, but they lower it. And they are straightforward enough to do on almost any journey.
