Business upgrade - food poisoning

[Kicks92]

Hi all,

I recently got upgraded on a flight from Singapore to Perth (think I did as I had to go this way to get home to Melbourne due to end of school holidays) from Economy to Business. On the flight, I had the most amazing service. The crew were one of the best I have ever had, funny and ready to help on anything I needed. The food served was very tasty, however it seemed to give me food poisoning, developing while on my flight from Perth to Melbourne and lasting the whole trip. Fun times in the toilet throwing up in the motion sickness bags .

I am 100% sure it was the food I had on the flight. I also saw another Business passenger leaving the bathrooms in the airport motioning to her family that she had thrown up (at the time I felt fine).

My question to you - what is the etiquette around advising Qantas. While greatful for the upgrade, I feel as a member that I should let them know as it wasnt a good look for them (although it will not stop me flying with them). Is it rude to let them know this?

On another note, the crew from Perth to Melbourne were not so nice. I found there were no motion sickness bags in the toilets or my seat pocket so asked for one. He gave me lots and did notice me going to and from the toilet with a stack of bags and water. Not once did he ask me if I was ok. It would have been nice if he had seen if I needed anything especially as I went without breakfast to throw up and I looked like death warmed up.

Thanks,

K

 

[MelUser]

I feel sorry for you on here (ie this site) as the wolves (doubters) will eat you!

 

[drewbles]

Typically, food poisoning will take 8-24 hours to be felt. What did you eat in SIN before you left? Possibly Lounge food? Possibly something the morning/night before?

 

[Fantic125]

I think symptoms of food poisoning can show up almost in a few hours, so it's quite possible that might be the case particularly if someone else from the same SIN-PER flight were effected.

Provide feedback through the Qantas website in a similar manner you have in your post - it's certainly not rude to let them know about it.

 

[ckck]

Sorry to hear that you were sick on your flight.

I would just go to qantas.com and fill in the feedback form stating what you ate from the J menu, the flight number, date and any other relevant details you can remember. Food poisoning can happen any where and some foods are greater risk than others. Having said that you may have eaten something in the previous day and it may have been affecting you some many hours later. Not all food poisoning happens straight away.

Unless you had some medical tests you probably will never be 100% sure what food gave you the problem, or even if it was the food at all - maybe a virus or some such.

So, having said all that just let them know (without emotion), stick to the facts and send them some customer feedback.

Hope you are feeling better.

 

[medhead]

By the time you fly SIN-PER and then wait for the next flight. It'd be getting close to 8 hours.

Anyway, it's probably worth sending feedback stated the sickness on the second flight and include a timeline of the previous 24 hours for meals. They might have a number of similar reports in relation to the SIN lounge or the first flight and can track down a cause. Otherwise, they might find nothing.

I'd also mention the average service on the second flight. Lack of care/ empathy.


Sent from the Throne

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi Kicks92. It will be very difficult for either yourself or QF to pinpoint the exact cause of your gastroenteritis.
I would let them know that you became unwell during the journey however, especially as you consider the in-flight catering to have contributed to it.
Many people are unfortunately very squeamish when it comes to the sight of illness but I would have expected the FA to enquire after your well being.
Good to here that you will continue to fly QF.
IMHO it's very unlikely that your illness was caused by food-poisoning on-board.

 

[Danger]

As others have suggested, feedback to Qantas would be appropriate but I would actually write a letter. I always find them more personable.

The approach to take would, I think, be a more 'for your information' type of letter, not accusatory. Something like 'thanks for the upgrade, much enjoyed, a few hours after eating I became quite ill, I had the X, Y and Z. Just thought I'd let you know in case you had other feedback. I don't believe I ate anything else that could have caused it. Very tasty meal but I think that's what made me sick. Thanks again, blah, blah, blah'.

I would respectfully disagree with medhead and not mention the service. Keep it to the single point that you want attention on.

 

[Kicks92]

I ate Pizza Hut pizza along with six other collegues none of who got sick. I did not eat in the lounge as didn't have much time. Without getting too in depth, I only threw up the duck ragout that I had on the flight. I am fairly certain that it was caused by the food on the flight.
I am only wanting to find out if it is rude to let Qantas know as I had a free upgrade.

 

[Kicks92]

Thanks all for feedback! Much appreciated. Good thing is it has not put me off eating duck! Poor daffy .

 

[Kicks92]

I feel sorry for you on here (ie this site) as the wolves (doubters) will eat you!

Haha that was funny considering the next post - thanks for the heads up.

 

[MelUser]

Everyone has been kind to you but it's a nicer bunch who have responded.

 

[medhead]

.
I would respectfully disagree with medhead and not mention the service. Keep it to the single point that you want attention on.

Fair enough. I probably didn't really mean service. More the lack of enquiry about the OP's wellness. Sure they addressed the basic request. But didn't think about it more. Apparently, didn't find out the problem. Sure bad food makes people throw up. But so does other problems, head injuries for example. At the very least I'd hope staff would try to ensure that someone doesn't have a serious problem that might require diversion or might have that person dying in the toilet.

Anyway, that's just me. Respect to your different view.


Sent from the Throne

 

[pauly7]

Neither VA or QF will do much unless they have multiple and medically corroborated cases reported to them.

QF have before given out 'We are sorry you were sick' (but don't admit fault) pressies to status pax, haven't seen or heard on here if DJ do the same though I do remember someone recently trying who was sick after a DJ flight.... Might pay to do a search to see how they went for tips!

Virgin were/are in court over some poisoned chicken that was seriously bad but that was medically backed up, multiple cases and had potential to harm life/damage unborn children so probably a bit worse than your case.

Hope you feel better - Gatorade is great!

 

[amaroo]

Doesn't hurt dropping a note to QF.......you might not be the only that informs them.

If they aren't informed & there is a problem....they will never know!

 

[spudseamus]

there would be some in here who would say" AHH he had the duck!" yep definitely quackers !!;o)

 

[docjames]

Definitely give them feedback (although I agree with others it'll be hard to prove it was the in flight food - however - if a series of pax also report food poisoning from around the same time frame ex-SIN, then it should be a trigger for QF to investigate fully.

I guess if your motivation is "they should know" it's worth doing in case multiple others are/were affected and they can fix the issue. If you were seeking compensation I wouldnt bother as "proof" is impossible (but from the sounds of it, you are in the "they should know" space, not the "compensation" space).


In a similar vein, for example, if you suspected a restaurant as the source, and reported the restaurant to the health department / public health, they would be unlikely to investigate a single case. If they got multiple reports, they can often string a sequence / timings together (not necessarily implicating the restaurant as the source but back to suppliers, transport of food stock etc etc).

 

[get me outta here]

A few times I was upgraded to F and as soon as I opened my eyes after sleeping on a flat bed I would start upchucking and have a terrible headache. Once, it was during the bird flu scare and the crew looked pretty worried and donned thier rubber gloves. The sick feeling would wear off really quickly and I'd be ready for the next 5 course meal.

After the third time it happened, I started to prefer J on the sloping bed. But, it doen't sound like this is what affected you (?)

 

[jswong]

By all means report this to Qantas, this would be a perfectly reasonable thing to do regardless of the upgrade

However, despite your level of conviction, the probability that you were poisoned by the food (either by bacteria or pre-formed toxin) is actually very low especially ex SIN. The food standards for airline food are higher than for most restaurants. I would not exclude a reaction to food but that is a different matter

Jeff

 

[beentheredonethat]

In my experience, the way qantas is now the response to your letter will be a generic letter covering all bases - bottom line being trust your next flight with us will be better. And that will be that. They will neither care nor do anything about it. As for people who expect staff to notice you are unwell.....give me a break. What fantasy world are they living in!