An airplane was temporarily taken out of service after passengers reported bedbug bites during a flight

Qantas temporarily withdrew a Boeing 787 from service after economy-class passengers reported being bitten by bedbugs during a 17-hour flight from Australia to Italy on October 9.

The reports were made during the flight, and the aircraft underwent thorough cleaning after landing in Rome. As a result, the return flight from Rome to Perth, scheduled for October 10, was canceled. The airline said the problem was identified on a small number of seats in the economy section and apologized to the affected passengers.

Travelers were provided with accommodation and transferred to other flights within 48 hours of the originally scheduled departure time at the latest. Qantas said its aircraft are cleaned regularly and preventively disinfected once every 50 days.

The incident has brought renewed attention to the risk of bedbugs being transported on aircraft through clothing, luggage or bedding. The insects hide in narrow spaces and are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide. Bites can cause itching, redness and swelling, but Australian health authorities say bedbugs are not considered disease transmitters. In December 2025, a family alleged that it had been bitten by bedbugs on a KLM aircraft and sued the airline.