Qantas Grounded A Boeing 787 In Italy

Qantas has been forced to ground a Boeing 787-9 in Rome under unusual circumstances after passengers were bitten by bedbugs.

The incident, which occurred during an outbound journey, disrupted travel for those scheduled to depart on 10 October after passengers on a return flight to Perth encountered the bedbugs.

Qantas had to accommodate and rebook the affected passengers in the rare circumstances that pulled the Boeing 787 from service for deep cleaning.

Italy flights impacted by bedbugs

The incident affected Qantas flight QF5 from Perth Airport (PER) to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) on 9 October, with economy passengers reporting insect bites.

The 17-hour journey, among some of the longest nonstop flights in the world, led to the subsequent Rome-to-Perth flight, QF6, being cancelled so the Boeing 787-9 could be grounded for a deep clean.

Passengers aboard the QF5 flight where the bedbugs were reported said they found insects on personal belongings and cabin furnishings, and that they were also crawling over clothing, leading to bite marks on several passengers.

Hailey Bagnall, who spoke with 9News, said they were also crawling on Qantas blankets and along the window, and that crew were alerted. Qantas said the issue, however, affected only a small number of economy seats, and that damage-control measures were put in place to limit the perceived spread of the outbreak.

The BBC meanwhile reported that passengers experiencing symptoms or in close proximity to the reported activity were given antihistamines to reduce the effects of the bites as much as possible. However, those supplies eventually ran out during the flight, given the unprecedented situation.

Qantas grounded the Boeing 787

After the Boeing 787-9 arrived in Rome, Qantas began cleaning the aircraft with the cancelled return flight home, allowing engineering and maintenance teams to clean it completely.

VH-ZNI was the Boeing 787-9 involved in the incident. Qantas first received this aircraft in October 2019, and on 15 October it will celebrate its seventh birthday with the Australian flag-carrier; it is named Kookaburra.

After bedbugs were reported, VH-ZNI had its QF6 flight cancelled on 10 October 2026; the aircraft then returned to Perth on a ferry flight that same day, but many hours after the intended QF6 departure, as QF7006.

Upon returning to Qantas in the morning, the aircraft was scheduled as QF6007 for a further ferry flight from Perth to Sydney, where it spent nearly 48 hours on the ground. The aircraft then returned to normal scheduled service on 13 October 2026, flying Sydney to Singapore as QF81 and then back to Sydney as QF82.

In the hours after the incident, Qantas apologised for cancelling the Rome to Perth service from Sydney, saying the cancellation enabled teams to carry out a deep clean of the aircraft. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, and Qantas confirms it maintains a high standard for cabin cleanliness.

A rare but not uncommon incident for airlines

The withdrawal of service for the Boeing 787, while temporary for a deep clean, is thankfully rare but not uncommon for airlines, as despite cleaning, there’s always the risk of bedbugs creeping into cabins.

Bedbugs can travel in the seams and folds of luggage, clothing, and bedding, and on long-haul flights over 15 hours, they stand a good chance of being introduced into the cabin. Qantas is investigating the source of the incident on the flight to Rome to determine how it happened and prevent it.

For affected passengers, Qantas said it was committed to rebooking and offering alternative travel within 48 hours to limit the impact. The deep clean allowed the jet to be cleared and returned to service normally, limiting operational downtime wherever possible.