Qantas cancels Rome-Perth flight due to bedbug infestation

Qantas has cancelled a scheduled flight from Rome to Perth following a bedbug infestation discovered on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The issue was identified during a flight between Italy and Australia, where passengers in economy class reported being bitten by the parasites.

While the airline provided medication to affected passengers during the initial flight, the supply was insufficient to meet all needs. A Qantas spokesperson stated that the cancellation of the Saturday service was necessary to allow engineers and maintenance teams to perform a “deep clean” of the aircraft after the issue was identified on a small number of economy seats.

The airline has arranged alternative travel for passengers within 48 hours and provided accommodation for those impacted by the cancellation.