One-sentence summary: Before you settle into your plane seat, shine your phone torch along the seat seams, around the armrests and along the cushion edges — if you see a bug or a cluster of faecal spots, photograph it as evidence and tell the cabin crew right away; an adult bed bug is about the size of an apple seed, and bite reactions can take days to appear.
On 9 October 2026, passengers on Qantas flight QF5 from Perth to Rome found bed bugs in the cabin and some were bitten. After the aircraft arrived, it was taken out of service for a deep clean, and the return flight QF6 from Rome to Perth on 10 October was cancelled, grounding the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Qantas said the problem affected only a small number of economy seats, apologised to passengers, and arranged accommodation and rebooking on alternative flights within 48 hours. The incident proves one thing: bed bugs are not just a hotel problem — they can be in aeroplane seats too.
After the incident, Australian bed bug expert Dr Stephen Doggett (NSW Health Pathology, medical entomology, Westmead Hospital) explained how passengers can quickly check their own seat before settling in. Here is his method.
Check your seat in 3 steps
Step 1: Check the seat seams. Switch on your phone torch and run it slowly along the seams of your seat. As Doggett put it: “Everybody’s got a torch on their mobile phones … look for the insects themselves and also their poo spotting.”
Step 2: Check around the armrests. The gaps where the armrests join the seat are favourite hiding places for bed bugs — inspect them closely.
Step 3: Check the cushion edges. Run the torch along the edges of the seat cushion and the folds between the cushion and the seat back.
Look for two things: live insects, and faecal spots. An adult bed bug is about the size of an apple seed and deep red-brown in colour; juveniles are only about 1 millimetre long and pale cream. Faecal spots are tiny black dots, and they usually appear in a cluster — as Doggett explained: “They tend to defecate in groups … so you see a concentration of poo spots.” A cluster of black spots is a reason to be extra careful.
What to do if you find something
Photograph it with your phone straight away. Doggett’s advice: “If a bed bug is found, [snap] a picture for documentary evidence.” A photo helps you report the problem to the airline and serves as a record if you need it later. Then tell the cabin crew immediately so they can deal with it — don’t just keep quiet about it.
Doggett also warned against assuming first or business class is safe — bed bugs can turn up in frequent-flyer seats, business class and even crew rest areas. Airport hotels are high-risk too, because guests come and go so quickly.
Early signs to watch for on holiday
Bed bugs are not only found on planes — stay alert for the whole trip. Doggett’s hotel-room advice is just as straightforward:
- Keep your bag off the bed: when you enter the room, put your luggage in the middle of the room, not on the bed.
- Pull the bed away from the wall: move the bed away from the wall, pull back the bedding and check the mattress seams on the wall side, looking for bugs and clusters of tiny black spots.
- Several signs together mean ask for another room: if you see bugs or clusters of black spots, that is the time to ask for a different room.
- Bite reactions can be delayed: Doggett noted that a reaction to a bite can take days or even weeks to appear, so it is no surprise if a problem only becomes obvious after you get home.
Remember: bed bugs cannot fly — they travel on people and in luggage. Check your bags before you carry them into your bedroom when you get home, so you don’t bring bed bugs back with you.
Further reading
- What Are Bed Bugs? Bed Bugs vs Chouh Chuhng (Wood Lice) — Hong Kong Guide
- DIY Bed Bug Removal in Hong Kong: A 6-Step Guide to Get Rid of Bed Bugs