Qantas treats aircraft after bed bug reports on flight to Melbourne
Frequent flyer Conor O’Reilly was left covered in bites on his lower back, bottom, arms, and legs after traveling from Los Angeles to Melbourne on Qantas flight QF94 on September 30, according to nine.com.au. The incident occurred two weeks before an active bed bug infestation grounded a Boeing 787 Dreamliner running the Perth-to-Rome route.
How the September 30 Los Angeles to Melbourne Outbreak Unfolded
During the QF94 journey, O’Reilly overheard a man, woman, and young child in the row directly behind him complaining about bed bugs, as reported by nine.com.au. The 34-year-old pilot stated that the family appeared frustrated and indicated the pests originated from the pillows or blankets distributed to passengers. Cabin crew relocated the family to alternative seats and applied a spray identified by Qantas as a safe disinfectant upon landing in Melbourne.
O’Reilly noted that he did not realize he was bitten until returning home, discovering red marks immediately upon taking off his shirt. He filed a complaint with Qantas customer service. The communication stated that an issue was identified and isolated to two economy seats in the same row.
Qantas stated that it takes reports of pests seriously. A spokesperson confirmed to nine.com.au that crew responded onboard flight QF94 and treated the aircraft according to Australian biosecurity requirements after landing.
Fleet Groundings and Extended Seasonal Routes in October
The disclosures surrounding the September flight preceded a severe outbreak on Qantas flight QF5 from Perth to Rome on October 9. Passengers woke to screams as bed bugs crawled on their legs, across belongings and Qantas blankets, and up the windows of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to accounts reported by 9News and PerthNow. Hailey Bagnall, a passenger on the flight, told 9News that the bugs kept coming all the way to baggage claim, embedding themselves in shoes and clothing.
The return service from Rome to Perth, QF6, was cancelled on October 10, to allow engineering and maintenance teams to execute a deep clean and fumigation of the aircraft. Affected passengers received accommodation and rebooking options within 48 hours, alongside antihistamines supplied by crew until stocks were exhausted, as detailed by PerthNow. The Perth-to-Rome route represents a popular seasonal service extended by Qantas until October 23, adding 40 flights and nearly 10,000 seats for the schedule.
Bed Bugs Enter Cabins via Luggage and Clothing
Bed bug incidents on commercial aircraft remain infrequent but documented. Similar outbreaks occurred on a British Airways flight from Vancouver to London in 2017 and a Turkish Airways service from Johannesburg to Istanbul in 2024, as noted by News.com.au and PerthNow. Prabin Shrestha, Group CEO of SKG Services, explained to News.com.au that bed bugs act as hitchhikers, entering cabins via luggage, clothing, or personal belongings to settle deep into seat stitching and upholstery crevices.
Stephen Doggett, a bed bug expert interviewed by ABC News, stated that crew sleeping areas carry higher risk due to frequent hotel turnovers. Qantas maintains that its cabins undergo regular cleaning alongside a standard precautionary protocol of disinfecting aircraft every 50 days. WA Health notes that while bed bug bites cause itching and swelling, the insects are not known to transmit disease and are not classified as a public health hazard.