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A flight operated by “Qantas” from Rome to Perth was cancelled on Saturday after bedbugs were reported aboard the aircraft, the BBC reported.
Passengers on the plane’s previous service, a nearly 17-hour flight from Perth to Rome on Friday, complained of being bitten by bugs, according to the “Sydney Morning Herald”. They were reportedly given antihistamines to ease the itching, but supplies ran out.
The “Boeing 787 Dreamliner” was grounded for a deep clean, a “Qantas” spokesperson told the BBC. The airline said the issue had been identified on a small number of economy-class seats.
“Qantas” apologised for the cancellation, saying affected customers were provided with accommodation and rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure.
Bedbugs are small, wingless parasites that can live on clothing, furniture and bedding. Their bites can cause itching but do not usually lead to more serious health problems, according to the UK’s National Health Service.
Eradicating bedbugs can be difficult and costly. Recommended treatment includes washing bedding, clothes and items such as curtains at a high temperature and tumble-drying them, or sealing them in plastic bags and placing them in a freezer for three or four days.
Bedbugs have also disrupted transport elsewhere. Less than two weeks earlier, several Southeastern train services in England were cancelled after drivers found the insects in their cabs. In 2017, “British Airways” apologised to a family who said they had been covered in bites during an overnight flight from Vancouver to London.
