Good morning Vietnam (airlines) in business class on the 787/9 to Ho Chi Min
The third leg of my world tour was aboard Vietnam Airlines, the national airline of the [...]
Vietnam Airlines
SkyTeam
SGN
The third leg of my world tour was aboard Vietnam Airlines., the national airline of Vietnam, from Seoul to Phnom Pen in Cambodia via the former Saigon, now Ho Chi Min City.
In this article:
- Specifications
- Aircraft:
- 787/9
- Class:
- Business
- Treat:
- ICN - SGN
- Price:
- 390€
- Book
I have already been to Vietnam e I recommend everyone to visit this beautiful nation in continuous transformation And at the speed of light. Unfortunately, at the moment this company does not fly to Italy, but we hope it will come soon, so there is no direct VN flight, unless you have a stopover in Paris or Frankfurt. Since last year the stay with Visa on Arrival has been extended to 45 days And, in addition to the wallet and passport, the only thing you need is an eSIM to get data on the go.
Reservation
This is the only ticket I could have book with points from this RTW and that I preferred to book instead by paying. The reason is quickly stated, with just under €500 in spending, I put 45 XP points in my pocket on my Flying Blue card, and a fair amount of points.
Of course I could also avoid accumulating points since I have Club2000, but sooner or later AF might take that privilege away from me, so better be prepared.
An unfortunate series of events
Let's just say that it didn't run smoothly, but as they say in such cases, he who is the cause of his own ill, let him cry for himself. Fortunately, however I left the Hilton Garden Inn on time and arrived at Seoul Incheon's Terminal 1 around 6 a.m., with my boarding time being 9:20 a.m.
Even before arriving I realized that something was not lined up right, almost at the airport we were stuck in traffic due to an accident, as you can see in the picture at the end of the straight, before the slope leading to the departures we found a car turned on its side. Quoting my brother-in-law (Rally driver) : "But how belino do you..."
Having passed the traffic jam, I arrive at T1, look at the monitors but my flight was still unmarked, and here my personal comedy of errors begins.
- App in the air was telling me that my flight was leaving from T1.
- If I had double-checked the ticket I would have seen that it said T1
- If I had read the monitor carefully, I would have read that flight VN409 was departing from T1
Instead, I was shallow and, probably trusted appearances that misled me.
- All major Skyteam airlines, including of course Korean Airlines depart from T2
- I looked up the flight to Ho Chi Min on the monitor and got the wrong VN flight, which was the Korean code share flight leaving from t2
- I remembered that I would have access to the KAL lounge and assumed it was at T2
So I first wandered around the terminal looking for a way to get to T2, walked down to the train station and then back to where I was and took the free shuttle bus. After nearly 20 minutes crammed in like a sardine, we arrived on the other side of the island that houses the airport.
Here I can't find the Vietnam Airlines counters, I ask the first attendant who tells me, "Look it's leaving from T1," and I like an idiot realizing the unfortunate series of mistakes I made.
I retrace my steps, go back to the shuttle bus stop and return to my initial starting point, meanwhile it is just past 7 a.m. when I return to T1 departures.
At the airport
This time I calmly check the screen and find directions to my check-in area, arrive at the counters and there is a flood of people. In fact, a few minutes away two 787/9s are departing one in the direction of Hanoi and mine to Ho Chi Min.
Having obtained the boarding passes for the two flights, as well as the inivite for the KAL Lounge) I ask an attendant if there is a fast track the answer was beautiful: "For business no!" I wanted to answer her and for economy?, but I realized my sarcasm would not be understood.
I got in line, but I must say that everything went smoothly, thanks in part to the new machines that allow you not to pull anything out of the bags.
After passing immigration, I headed to the lounge. Kal lounge is not bad at all, although I would have paid to be able to enter the brand new oneworld lounge just opened. Obviously I tried to enter it but was bounced without appeal.
Important if you depart from this airport you have to be careful about timing. Gates below 100 are in the main body of T1, those between 101 and 150 are in the central satellite, and those above 200 are in Terminal 2. As I discovered, only after going crazy outside, it is possible to move between the two terminals from the inside, you have to take the connecting train, but moving around takes up to 30 minutes, so be careful about the timing, because if you crazy in the shopping area you might risk missing the plane.
One of the best things about this airport was the opportunity to view a dying scenery: Asiana and Korean's A380s parked on the runway, or docked at the fingers. A 747/8 from Korean a waiting to depart and a taxing A380 ready for takeoff.
On board
This Vietnam Airlines Dreamliner is set up with two classes: business and economy. The business cabin is configured with 4 seats per row, so all passengers have direct aisle access, which is so on the entire VN fleet.
The colors are light, but it is not the dirty white of ITA. The first thing that strikes you is the space, as there is no hat rack above the center rows everything is much more airy.
The cabin is not new, but let's just say it is well preserved. The seat is a popular product and is the same one found on several Dreamliners.
Obviously no door and also zero privacy, but VN uses these planes for medium-haul routes with high fill rates, while in Europe and the U.S. it flies the A350/900.
I had assigned myself the seat in row 4 because. as we also explained in an article row 5 is the one that has a window less and thus, If possible, it is the one to avoid.
Not having a chance to admire the scenery would be a really bad way to travel in this part of the world.
The chair obviously becomes a bed, is operated with the hand control in the console (so you don't accidentally press it), and allows you to adjust position, tilt, and lumbar support.
There is a small cockpit storage near the armrest, and nothing else in terms of space to put one's belongings.
The coffee table comes out of the side console and is very rigid, so you can work on the computer without jolting and eat without risking spilling food on themselves.
The orientation of the seats near the windows is outward, while the seats in the middle rows are oriented toward the inside of the fuselage. All passengers have direct access to the aisle, and this is a certainty.
This configuration gives the most comfort and the most legroom, partly because all seats are oriented in the same direction, without forcing anyone to ride with their back to the pilot.
Classic, clean bathroom with a fresh little flower.
A little curiosity, Have you ever noticed this little hole in the seat structure? Is made for a practical reason. Putting your foot in this cavity makes it easier to get to the hat rack.
Service
I will say it right away we are at a very high level. I had flown VN before, in economy from BKK to SGN, but never in business class, and the staff was really exquisite.
The attendants, swaddled in a beautiful uniform, always smiling and ready as soon as a passenger looked up to ask how they could help.
Within 3 minutes of setting foot on board, they arrived first with the welcome drink and then with the hot cloth.
In place all the complete kit: blanket, pillow, slippers and small trousse with useful products during the trip. Considering that it is a 5-hour daytime flight it is a truly 5-star offer, many more emblazoned airlines on these distances give nothing (or almost nothing). Only downside is that the pillow is not bagged, like the blanket, and placed on top of the footrest, so not exactly the cleanest place on the plane.
Inside the beauty was everything you needed such as creams, socks, mask, toothbrush and comb. Really good.
IFE
Medium screen size, certain the new business classes have much larger monitors and 4k, but this screen is still larger than what BA offers in the old club world or Lufthansa on most of the fleet.
The amount of content is also impressive, many new releases and classics. More scarce is the supply of TV shows.
I have to say I had never seen so many commercials during a flight, sometimes the companions put the commercials before the movies, here they were before and after the security video, never seen such a thing.
No wifi, and this surprised me since Dreamliners are not such old machines. Even the headset and controller hint that we are not looking at a top-of-the-line product.
Food & Beverage
The beginning was not the best. No menu, but an attendant coming by to take your order showing some, not at all appetizing, pictures on her cell phone.
Note how orders are marked, as always, on a sheet and I was renamed simply "Matte."
I ended up having chicken with potatoes as the main course and shrimp as an appetizer, too bad I later found out it was a kind of veal tonnato, because my choice was exhausted.
Before the actual service began, a small amuse buche was served, but without receiving any information about the contents. Then the appetizer was served with a tray, along with a carrot and potato velouté, a salad , along with bread and butter. Soon after came chicken with potatoes and some boiled vegetables.
Finally, a triptych of trays: cheese, fruit and dessert. I, of course, took a little bit of everything.
On our arrival in Ho Chi Min we were parked away from the terminal, always a happy note for me. Excellent that VN offers a bus, dedicated and more convenient, to business class passengers than the rest of the passengers.
In conclusion
Vietnam Airlines promoted with flying colors service, catering and IFE. Too bad about some smudges like the pillow in that position, the lack of wi-fi and especially the really unappetizing menu display.
Pro
- Staff
- Cabin
- Service
Against
- No menu
- No wifi
- Pillow in the middle of the feet