[ChristianKohl]

I'm going to give a lenghty, detailed account of a very unpleasant experience: Cathay served me a meal that was off, gave me food poisoning, ruined 3,5 days of my vacation, cost me extra money in terms of hotel (early check in) charges and medication ... .

While I totally accept that mistakes can happen, I would have expected some offer of compensation and a heartfelt apology, I have received neither so far from them, just standard text blocks in their customer service jungle ... .

(Interestingly, there is another recent thread also complaining about food poisoning from CX: thread number 11128 in this forum)

• First remark: I have a very robust stomach and digestion.
• We (2pax) flew CX111 Premium Economy from HKG to SYD on Dec 16 2012.
• The flight departed at 19:00 local time.
  
• Our last meal before boarding the aircraft was at 14:35 local time, we both had (the same) a vegetarian sandwich at Pret-A-Manger at Three Pacific Place. We only drank bottled water.
  
• On board, we both had an orange juice, water, and the nuts that were distributed after take-off.
  
• After take-off, dinner was served.
• I had pre-ordered a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) meal, which was served. My partner had a "normal" meal.
• The meal was obviously from Economy, not premium economy: plastic instead of metal cutlery, less food than on the other trays around me etc.
• The vegetables in the hot meal looked colourless and tasted like nothing, even after adding pepper and salt. I didn't pay any attention, just thought, well, another bland, disappointing experience, but I don't expect Gordon Ramsay, so I ate it.
• Approximately an hour after the meal I started to feel sick/unwell. Can't really describe it: My stomach felt as if it was completely full (although portions were tiny), it was a "if I move I have to vomit" feeling. Also my circulation wasn't at its peak ... .
• After another 30-45 minutes I got up to use the toilet because the urge to vomit was getting stronger.
• Apparently I collapsed in the aisle, can't remember what happened, only that I was lying on the ground with fellow passengers standing over me.
• Got up, went to toilet, but couldn't really vomit.
• I spent the rest of the flight in this state, couldn't sleep, but felt drowsy/exhausted, felt the urge to vomit, headache from the low circulation etc.
• Except for a vomit bag cabin staff had nothing to offer.
• We landed in SYD in the morning and I managed to drag myself into the hotel where I spent nearly all of the day in bed in the same state. Couldn't really eat anything. Bought most of the sickness medication stuff you can get without a recipe in the pharmacy, didn't help. In the evening, I was finally able to vomit and immediately felt better.
• I was still weak and unable to eat the next day and first developed blatulence, then diarrhea during the afternoon and night. On the morning of the third day the body seemed to have cleansed itself and all was well again, except that I of course felt weak/tired for another day, since I hadn't eaten or slept for so long.
• So, all in all: Lost 3,5 days of my vacation. Had to spend money on early hotel check-in (extra night) and medication. Did not receive compensation. Did not receive an honest apology.

What have I learned from this?

I'm not a complainer - but from now on, I'm going to be a very unpleasant passenger and immediately criticize anything unusual/not to my liking on the plane. I kinda feel sorry for all the nice flight attendants who will have to deal with this behavior, but it looks like this is the only way to do it.