uptowngirl2418

Last week on an American Airlines flight, my DH and I both got sick. We ate the same thing on an afternoon flight from Bogota to Miami and by that night, we were fighting for the bathroom. It's 6 days later and we are still not completely back to normal. I swear, it was the chicken.

Any other stories? Did you report it to the airline?

Another question, our final leg home from Miami was cancelled and we were rescheduled for the next morning. Our hotel room was paid for by the airline, but another couple that was booked on our same cancelled flight (they flew in from Madrid on a partner airline) did not get a paid room. How are these things decided?

Dayenu

Re: other couple, I think it depends on how they bought the tickets, maybe as 2 separate legs?

And you should definitely let the airline know you've got sick. Maybe other passengers got sick too, and the airline will do something about it?

SamH

I've taken that afternoon AA flight from Bogota to Miami before and never got sick. Don't remember if I had chicken though. I'd report it as Dayenu says. If others were also affected the airline should at least investigate the supplier to avoid future problems.

travelgourmet

Aside from the general discomfort from eating thoroughly disgusting food, I have never gotten sick from airplane food. I have, however, gotten nasty hangovers from drinking too much on airplanes.

I would contact the airline, but you are likely to only get some miles thrown at you. Beyond that, your chances are slim and, frankly, these things happen and it is so hard to prove what caused the illness, such that it is probably fair.

dutyfree

My airline had a city in Africa that we had problems with.We had just started serving this city and after having 6 crew members on IV's they finally realized that they needed a new vendor for catering.

Gavin

My wife and I picked up food poisoning on an AA flight from Dallas to Toronto in January 2001. The flight was delayed and the food moved from one plane to another before we left Dallas.

suze

Yes. Just once. I was extra mad because it was on the way home from a two week trip to Mexico, where I'd been so careful and never gotten sick! Then the airlines poisoned me with bad chicken (our flight had been seriously delayed, who knows where or how long that chicken had been around). No I didn't think to complain to anyone at the time.

LisaG

Yes! Last year we were in India for 2 weeks and extremely careful with our food consumption. We left out of Delhi on a BA flight, and my husband ordered the salad as the appetizer with our meal (business class). He was sick as a dog for the entire trip home. I had tried to talk him out of it (where do you think they are sourcing the catering?!), but to no avail.

We'd already packed the Cipro in checked luggage, so there was no relief until we got our hands on our luggage 24 hours later. Poor thing, but live and learn.

LisaG

cupspinner

Sickness from airplane food? You betcha. It ruined my trip to Maui years ago. I was in the bathroom for 4 or 5 days before finally going to a doctor there. I was told it was bacterial and that I'd ingested it. Given the time frame it was the most likely that it was the food on the plane - (which was slightly warmer than room temp when served.

The antibiotics worked fairly quickly. I wish I had seen a doctor sooner. I did go home 10 pounds lighter, cold comfort considering I never saw much more than the inside of my hotel room. I only had one meal the entire week, and that was a $12 room service baked potato! I no longer eat those meals when I fly.

LoveItaly

I have never gotten ill from eating airline food, but sometimes felt ill when it was delivered to me, lol.

I don't think I have ever had chicken on a plane, I never have chicken when eating away from home. Well not since my husband and I who were stuck in Barstow due to our TBird breaking down ate fried chicken at some "popular" restaurant there, that was years ago. Food poisoning is horrible but twice as horrible when away from home!

Uptowngirl, I would advise AA. You don't even have to ask for any compensation (although you should receive "something") but if you and any others that got ill do report the illness I look at that as a public service.

basiaS

I was on flight AC859 (Air Canada)from London to Toronto on 3 Aug 09, business class. I believe, that the sandwich I have eaten gave me food poisoning. I works on me very fast. I was waiting in front of the washroom to the end of the flight. There were people spending long time there, therefore I think that I was not the only one.
After 3 days I went to the doctor. I am taking antibiotics for two days already without any effect. I have stomach crams, pain and diarrhea.
Is anyone from that flight with similar symptoms?

producerkoof

We flew from LAX to Dublin and I ate the yogurt they served in the morning. Within a few hours after landing, I was running to the bathroom back at our hotel. I was better after 24 hours, but a rough start to the trip. Now I only eat the bread when I get the morning meal on intl flights.

Dayenu

I think everybody is *sick* of the airlines' food, or the lack of it

PeteFoley

You found someone who still serves food on a plane!

JerseyJulie

I was on a Delta Airlines flight from JFK to Barcelona with my family and got food poisoning! It was not fun at all! Try remembering how to ask for a bathroom in spanish when you are that sick! Quite frustrating! We thought we would have to cancel our entire vacation! Thankfully I was better within 24 hours and we boarded a Royal Carribean cruise the next morning, where I was able to get a big bowl of chicken noodle soup!! With poor service in the past and this flight, I, and my family, vowed, from that day, to never fly Delta again!! But now, I rarely eat the food on planes anymore, unless I'm desperate!

princessjudy14

Oh yes. 1976 as a girl coming back from a family holiday in Nassau our flight was delayed 12 hours. They served some sort of breakfast on the plane and we were so sick that my dad and I were using the washroom in Toronto airport before we even went through customs.

Then in 1998 going via (now defunct) Skyservice Airlines from Toronto to Costa Rica my husband ordered the quiche for breakfast. Our son and I had the cereal and fruit. The effect of my husband's breakfast was almost instant, and for the entire nine day trip my husband was sick and confined pretty much to the room. The Imodium brought from home didn't last long and wasn't effective. We had travel health insurance and had a doctor make a house call to the room, and give him antibiotics intravenously. The worst part was trying to get housekeeping and the front desk to bring up more, much more toilet paper. My husband spent the flight home to Toronto when the trip was over in the airplane toilet, and was sick off work for a further four days after we returned from the trip.

RondaTravels

UGH! Yes. AA #49 on 1/26/2009 (Paris to DFW)! I have not been that sick in over 25 years -- since the last time I had food poisoning!!! I regret I didn't report it to the airline. By the time it was over (about 4 days) I just wanted to try to forget it. Noe I definitely try to plan better and eat at home or in the airport (not the best option, but less chance of bad food).

Fodorite018

Yes, unfortunately. It was over 20 years ago. DH was stationed in RI and I flew from OR to see him for a weekend. My boss was the wicked witch of the west, lol, and when I had to call in sick on Monday morning she didn't believe me. I still remember how violently ill I was, and the airplane meal was the only thing I had eaten at all, so I knew what it was. I still remember being so miserably sick I was and how mean she was, lol. But hey, I learned how NOT to manage people from that

pat

yes, on an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York. But that is the only time.