Introduction
As I have a Vietnamese wife and visited her country 7 times so far I have considerable experience of using this airline both on domestic routes and for flights in the region (Hong Kong, Cambodia etc) going back to 2003. The following is my overall assessment of all my flights ... Read review
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Advantages: Fantastic value domestic flights where overland travel is slow Disadvantages: Not yet competative on long haul routes to Europe
...Background and fleet
Vietnam Airlines (Tổng Công ty Hàng không Việt Nam as it is called in Vietnamese) is the national airline. It was formed in 1989 and has always been a state owned operation. Unlike my experience of other airlines operated by Communist states such as Aeroflot in the days of the USSR and CAAC, the national carrier of China (which I have relatively grim memories of using in 1987) Vietnam Airlines is (and has for a considerable ... ...quieter than the common areas, Vietnam is though a fairly noisy country and, as an aside, earplugs are a necessity if you don't like too much noise.
Information can be a little erratic airside though it is usually OK and both Vietnamese and English are used (providing someone is confident enough to speak over the P.A. in English). Boarding
This is usually every man for himself - no kind of priority. An exception I found was in Hong Kong where we ...
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Advantages: Outstanding service and fantastic food Disadvantages: Absolutely none
...supposed to be on a Vietnam Airline flight - it was just a lucky mistake. I was on a business trip to Vietnam with two colleagues and we were booked BA from Heathrow to Bangkok with a Thai airlines connection to Ho Chi Minh City. However, sometimes things go wrong in order for something else to go right - and Vietnam Airlines was a happy experience.
As an aside, it's worth knowing you CAN'T fly UK to Vietnam direct - normal options are Malaysian ... ...should be blessing BA or Vietnam Airlines or the Bangkok airport - we made it to the airport with a 30 minute connection to the last flight of the day with VA. We ran like crazy - my boss turning purple with the effort - and made the connection. I gave up all hope of my bags doing the same.
So picture the scene. Three sweaty business class passengers gasping for their breath flop into the front row of the VA plane. The attendants - beautiful women ...
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Another great book for the Lonely Planet series. The book provides you with plenty of maps and hotel information to enable you not to get lost in a new town or hustled by any of the local touts.
The prices are accurate and up to date.
The what... more
