Qantas Dreamliner Taken Out of Service in Rome Over Suspected Bed Bugs
A Qantas Boeing 787 flying from Perth to Rome on Oct. 9 was grounded in Italy after passengers reported suspected bed bug bites. The aircraft was taken out of service for a deep clean and fumigation, and the scheduled Rome-to-Perth return was cancelled, leaving some travelers stranded.
The affected service was QF5, a roughly 17-hour Boeing 787-9 flight from Perth to Rome on 9 October 2026. Reports say passengers in the forward economy cabin noticed bites and small insects, and antihistamines were given before supplies ran out. After landing at Fiumicino, suspected bed bugs were linked to a limited number of economy seats, so the aircraft was withdrawn for fumigation and a deep clean.
The scheduled 10 October Rome-to-Perth return was cancelled. Qantas provided Rome hotel stays and rebooked travelers on alternative flights, usually within 48 hours, though some waited up to two days. The airline says cabins are disinfected about every 50 days, and specialists note bed bugs are more likely carried in luggage or clothing than originating in the aircraft.
Count first para: The(1) affected2 service3 was4 QF5,5 a6 roughly7 17-hour8 Boeing9 787-9? maybe 10 flight11 from12 Perth13 to14 Rome15 on16 9? 17 October18 2026.19 Reports20 say21 passengers22 in23 the24 forward25 economy26 cabin27 noticed28 bites29 and30 small31 insects,32 and33 antihistamines34 were35 given36 before37 supplies38 ran39 out.40 After41 landing42 at43 Fiumicino,44 suspected45 bed46 bugs47 were48 linked49 to50 a51 limited52 number53 of54 economy55 seats,56 so57 the58 aircraft59 was60 withdrawn61 for62 fumigation63 and64 a65 deep66 clean.67
Second: The1 scheduled2 10?3 October4 Rome-to-Perth5 return6 was7 cancelled.8 Qantas9 provided10 Rome11 hotel12 stays13 and14 rebooked15 travelers16 on17 alte
This incident could heighten traveler anxiety about cabin hygiene on long-haul flights, especially for passengers on Qantas’s Perth–Rome route and others using similar aircraft. Those affected may face disrupted plans, extra accommodation, and rebooking stress, while the airline could see reputational scrutiny and added cleaning costs. Future travelers may pay closer attention to pest reports, though such events remain rare and airlines may use them to reinforce inspection and fumigation procedures. Count: This1 incident2 could3 heighten4 traveler5 anxiety6 about7 cabin8 hygiene9 on10 long-haul11 flights,12 especially13 for14 passengers15 on16 Qantas’s17 Perth–Rome18 route19 and20 others21 using22 similar23 aircraft.24 Those25 affected26 may27 face28 disrupted29 plans,30 extra31 accommodation,32 and33 rebooking34 stress,35 while36 the37 airline38 could39 see40 reputational41 scrutiny42 and43 added44 cleaning45 costs.46 Future47 travelers48 may49 pay50 closer51 attention52 to53 pest54