With three carriers – Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Jetstar – now flying nonstop between Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City, competition on the route has never been greater. Karryon’s MARK HARADA hops on board a Vietnam Airlines flight to see how the Vietnamese flag carrier fares.
Details
- Flight: VN772
- Aircraft: A350-900
- Seat: 12A (window)
- Configuration: 2-4-2
- Frequency: Daily
- On-time performance: Arv 4.50pm (40 minutes behind schedule)
Check-in
Within just a couple of minutes, I’ve navigated the smooth web check-in process for my flight. Take advantage of this if you want a quick run through baggage drop, for which there is surprisingly no queue at the airport. That said, the economy check-in line isn’t that long either.
If you’re a light packer like me, you could even bypass the baggage drop altogether and take advantage of the generous 10kg cabin bag allowance. Though as a premium economy passenger, I decide to check my bag given the premium line comprises only two people (including myself).
I’m also issued a paper boarding pass (to go with the digital one I received during web check-in) while staff also check my visa for Vietnam (which needs to be printed).
Boarding
Our departure gate, 30, is conveniently located right next to the main food court in T1, so it’s easy to duck across and grab some pre-flight snacks before boarding. It’s pretty cramped and noisy, but at least there’s a nice view of the swish Vietnam Airlines A350 and other planes.
We board behind schedule at around 10, with my zone (2) the last called.
Cabin
A smiling crew member dressed in a simple white shirt and tie greets me onboard as the dulcet sounds of a (presumably) traditional Vietnamese instrument add to the ambience.
The premium economy cabin, in a 2-4-2 layout, features around 40 seats, which are eye catching in their turquoise blue.
The 350 premium seat is roomy, with a generous 38-inch seat pitch. So there’s ample space to wriggle out of a window seat for a bathroom break or to stretch your legs should you need to.
There’s also the usual adjustable headrest and footrest, which combined with the extra legroom make for an even cosier ride. Between the seats, there’s a double armrest with a handy tray at the end.
Elsewhere, there’s a coat rack, a soft pillow and warm blanket (in VN’s famous blue of course). To help flyers catch some Zs, crew are quick to also offer travellers eye masks, earplugs and slippers. In the bathroom, Vietnam Airlines also provides passengers with toothbrush packs and razors.
Fun
The Lotustar inflight entertainment system comes via a large, responsive and adjustable touchscreen – though finding the jack/input for the headphones proves a challenge for me (turns out it’s over my shoulder). More annoyingly, I can only get the sound through either the right or left speaker and not both – unless I hold the jack in place the whole time, which is not what you want.
There’s also a handheld remote, but mine’s in a real state, held together with electrical tape. That said, it still does the trick, enabling me to navigate through loads of movies, television and music (no games for me thanks).
Aurally, I steer towards Bob Dylan (there are several Dylan LPs), but there’s plenty else, from Alice Cooper to Adele, along with a large (65 scrolls’ worth) and eclectic mix of podcasts, classical music, soundtracks and world music.
On the TV front, there’s an interesting selection of shows, with only a handful of really recognisable programs (Succession, The Last of Us, Friends). The rest of the offering comprises docos, sports and music programs, and understandably, lots of Vietnamese and Asian television.
The movie range is equally eclectic, with lots of action, drama and comedy. So pretty much something for everyone. But the choice of kids films and animated features – from Disney Pixar to Japanese anime – is particularly good. There’s also a USB charger that works!
Showcasing some of the carrier’s myriad destinations, Vietnam Airlines’ Heritage magazine is worth a skim through too.
Food
Upon boarding, premium economy flyers are offered water or juice. Shortly after takeoff, crew are quick to offer chilled bottled water followed by roasted mixed nuts (mostly those fried coated peanuts and wasabi peas, but close enough). To help wash this down, crew waste no time offering a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including wines, beer, soft drink and Vietnamese branded juices. The guava juice is my pick.
For an early lunch (served at around 1130), I have the vegan meal which comprises a nice mock meat and tofu stir fry, Chinese greens and rice. On the side, there’s a crispy cucumber, tomato and baby spinach salad. For dessert, I have an orange jello and cold, sweet fresh fruit. Others have the choice between a braised fish and rice, and a beef pasta (or noodle?) dish.
Two hours from arrival, I’m served another hearty meal consisting of braised tofu and baby corn, buk choy and steamed rice – again with a refreshing fruit salad on the side. Plus, the still slightly crispy bread rolls served with both meals are worth a mention.
In between meals, flyers can snack on (giant) cup noodles that sit in a special cardboard holder. Clearly, Vietnam Airlines hasn’t gone down the path of Korean Air. Love the wooden cutlery and paper cups too.
And it’s all served by some pretty friendly cabin crew too. As I discover, it’s a sign of things to come in Vietnam.
The writer travelled to Vietnam as a guest of Express Travel Group. Read our wrap of ETG’s Xchange 2024 Vietnam conference here.
All images Mark Harada / Karryon.
