"Feeds on blood and is hard to eradicate"... the 'terrifying bug' that grounded a plane

Bedbugs found in forward section of economy cabin
Rome-to-Perth flight canceled for thorough cleaning

A bedbug was found on a Qantas Airways flight in Australia, forcing the airline to cancel a flight. Qantas took the affected aircraft out of service and began a thorough cleaning.

AI-generated image of a bedbug

According to the UK’s Guardian on October 13 (local time), Qantas suspended operations of an aircraft after bedbugs were found on a flight traveling from Perth, Australia, to Rome, Italy.

The incident occurred on October 9 aboard Qantas Flight QF5, which was traveling from Perth to Rome. Bedbugs were found in the forward section of the economy cabin on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to reports.

Bedbugs are small parasitic insects that feed on the blood of mammals, including humans. Once they become established, they are difficult to eradicate.

The aircraft was taken out of service for cleaning after arriving in Rome. As a result, a Qantas flight scheduled to travel from Rome to Perth on October 10 was canceled.

A Qantas spokesperson said a problem had been identified in some economy-class seats, so the flight was canceled to allow technical and maintenance teams to thoroughly clean the aircraft’s interior. The spokesperson also apologized to passengers affected by the disruption.

Qantas said it regularly cleans its cabins to high hygiene standards and also carries out disinfection every 50 days as a precaution.

Professor Michelle Power, a parasitologist at Macquarie University in Australia, said the bedbugs likely entered the aircraft on passengers’ luggage or clothing and then spread inside the cabin.

“Bedbugs are closely associated with travel,” Professor Power said. “People sometimes stay in hotels with bedbugs. Because bedbugs like dark spaces and are attracted to the smell of people’s clothing, they can get into suitcases.”

She added that bedbugs are flightless insects, noting that travel by aircraft and other means can contribute to their spread.

Professor Power said bedbug bites can cause itching or skin irritation, but that bedbugs are generally not dangerous. However, she added that they are very difficult to eradicate and can survive for long periods while hiding in bedding or crevices, even without feeding.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.