Qantas cancelled its Rome–Perth service on Saturday after passengers on the preceding flight from Perth reported being bitten by bugs. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded for a deep clean.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, some passengers on Friday’s nearly 17-hour Perth–Rome flight complained of bites and were given antihistamines, although supplies reportedly ran out.
Qantas confirmed to the BBC that an issue affecting a small number of economy seats prompted the cleaning operation. The airline apologised for the cancellation and said affected passengers received accommodation and were rebooked on alternative flights within 48 hours of their original departure.