Bedbugs found in plane's economy seats force major airline to cancel flight

An international flight scheduled to travel from Italy to Australia was canceled last week after a bedbug infestation was discovered in the cabin of a Qantas aircraft during an earlier flight.

The issue arose on October 9, when passengers on the nearly 17-hour journey from Perth to Rome reported being bitten by the insects. In response, the airline issued an apology for the incident and canceled the return flight from Rome to Perth to allow for a deep clean of the aircraft.

Qantas Airways Limited stated that the cancellation of the Rome-to-Perth service was necessary to allow engineers and maintenance teams to carry out a thorough cleaning of the aircraft, particularly in the economy seats where the bedbugs were found.

Passengers who were on the initial flight from Sydney to Perth reported seeing bedbugs crawling on their belongings, clothing, and even the aircraft's windows. Some travelers claimed to have been woken up by the insects, while others said they saw the bugs crawling on their shoes and clothing as they collected their bags.

The airline took several precautions before departing on the subsequent long-haul leg to Rome, including deep cleaning the cabin, removing seat coverings and soft furnishings, and cordoning off the affected seats. However, the bedbugs were still present on the flight, and passengers were provided with antihistamines to alleviate the itchy bites.