Bed bugs result in cancelled QF6

[MEL_Traveller]

Another case of bed bugs on QF94 from LAX being reported now.

https://www.reddit.com/r/perth/s/xtHvJtiEuP

Makes you wonder how often it has happens in the past before people jumped to social media.

It amazing how people jump on social media… instead of going to a doctor.

In less time than posting on reddit - seeking advice - the person could have booked in with their GP.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Far less thrilled to be flying per-cdg in a few months time now on a 789. The second occurrence of this is awful PR for QF. If it’s the same plane as the first time this happened on the FCO flight after their big claims of “deep cleaning” they have also burnt trust - how are we to believe that their deep cleans worked now? I’m generally a qf enjoyer but this is actually moving the needle a bit for me.

The problem is they will need to take the aircraft out of service for an extended time to guarantee bug removal.

 

[SeatBackForward]

The problem is they will need to take the aircraft out of service for an extended time to guarantee bug removal.

QF's long haul fleet is so tightly strung that any one aircraft out of operation for sometime no doubt has a significant knock on effect. I'm absolutely sure some Exec made the call to do the bare min required to keep the aircraft operational and the risk taking hasn't worked out this time.

Off-topic, but know how exec's are paid the big bucks because of the risk they supposedly carry? Wonder if the consequence of this will be anything even remotely negative..

 

[Beau]

There is a new (unconfirmed) report of bites on a flight on the 30th (QF3 to NY) - same plane (VH-ZNI).

This is after the second round of assumed 'deep cleaning' over 5-days. Frightening stuff... I'd expect the frame to be taken out of rotation for another 1-2 weeks for another try... If I was scheduled on ZNI I'd be tempted to change plans. Hopefully they can get it sorted.

 

[Melburnian1]

There is a new (unconfirmed) report of bites on a flight on the 30th (QF3 to NY) - same plane (VH-ZNI).

This is after the second round of assumed 'deep cleaning' over 5-days. Frightening stuff... I'd expect the frame to be taken out of rotation for another 1-2 weeks for another try... If I was scheduled on ZNI I'd be tempted to change plans. Hopefully they can get it sorted.

Doesn't appear that VH-ZNI (B789) has been taken out of service: is in Vancouver, Canada.

Surely some other airlines have experience in removing bed bugs, perhaps especially in USA where passengers can be litigious. Maybe they could give QFi some tips on how to achieve.

Amazing how tiny insects can potentially ground a massive aeroplane.

 

[AIRwin]

Amazing how tiny insects can potentially ground a massive aeroplane.

Even wasps in pitot tubes

 

[LCC]

There is a new (unconfirmed) report of bites on a flight on the 30th (QF3 to NY) - same plane (VH-ZNI).

This is after the second round of assumed 'deep cleaning' over 5-days. Frightening stuff... I'd expect the frame to be taken out of rotation for another 1-2 weeks for another try... If I was scheduled on ZNI I'd be tempted to change plans. Hopefully they can get it sorted.

From some of the stuff I have read about bed bugs they are very hardy creatures and extremely difficult to eradicate once they get hold. If multiple people are noticing bites the bugs are well and truly entrenched in the nooks and crannies of their environment.

 

[DC3]

Eventually the beg bug infestation will need to be removed by professionals who do this sort of thing for a living. Rearranging the deck chairs will not achieve anything positive.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Eventually the beg bug infestation will need to be removed by professionals who do this sort of thing for a living. Rearranging the deck chairs will not achieve anything positive.

Even professional treatments struggle against bedbugs.
They are resistant to the most common pesticides.
Even using one of the few that is still effective, there are so many nooks and crannies in an aircraft, such as within seat mechanisms, it's hard to imagine how the pesticide could be delivered universally: perhaps pressurisation would help force the chemical into these spaces. At least an aircraft is built to be pressurised. However then how do you ensure the aircraft is safe for people after the chemical treatment?
The adult bugs can survive for up to a year without feeding so it's impossible to just wait for them to die.
Heat and cold work. Obviously the entire aircraft can't be heated to 60 degrees.
Flying it at high altitude unpressurised would make it cold enough but this treatment is recommended for 4 days!
I don't envy whoever has to deal with this problem!

 

[AIRwin]

Obviously the entire aircraft can't be heated to 60 degrees.

Park in desert?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Park in desert?

For a year?