Vietnam Airlines Customer Reviews and Vietnam Airlines Passenger Trip Reports

SYD-SGN-CDG and returning CDG-HAN-SGN-SYD. Food, in-flight movies and service of a good standard for price. Australia-Europe travellers be aware that the return journey had a domestic Hanoi to Saigon leg that added hours to the journey and required a transit visa. Vietnam Airlines provided a Hanoi hotel for the 10 hour stopover - making it bearable - and arranged for transit visa with US$25 cash on arrival. However, aggressive Air France staff in Paris attempted to block us boarding as we had no written evidence of a transit visa. Only after a series of frantic phone calls was clearance given.

VN921 from VTE to SGN. Vietnam Airlines have monopolized this route and despite charging top dollar didn't even provide food or alcoholic beverages. The flight stops off in PNH where everybody has to get off and wait and we were delayed. Staff were generally friendly and welcoming although the purser was very unreceptive when I asked why food and alcoholic beverages were not provided.

Travelled from FRA to SGN in 777 and SGN to SIN in A321. Flight from FRA to SGN was good and the service was excellent. For dinner and breakfast there was a great choice between different meals, food tasted good and was more than enough. The transfer in SGN was easy. The staff at the transfer counter were friendly and had already my boarding pass to SIN and the lounge invitation ready for me. So no waiting time at the counter. The 2 hours flight from SGN to SIN was eventless and good. For lunch there was a choice between 3 different meals and staff was friendly.

Travelled from Melbourne to Hanoi return, the flight over was very good, on an A330. Service was great, and very comfortable seats. Unfortunately the return flight was on a B777, the economy section was crowded with very old seats with no personal entertainment screens. Seats had a particularly hard section (meeting your lower back) and did not recline at all. The internal electric's were not working, so our section could not turn on or off personal lights, contact service crew etc, and to make matters worse, one light was permanently on, and could not be turned off. My partner had a small box for some sort of wiring in his foot space. We were very pleased with the flight over and the two domestic flights, but the return trip was the worst flight we have been on, the staff did their best, but the economy section in the B777 needs to be refurbished asap.

Flew from Melbourne to HCM return (8.5 hours each leg). The plane (Airbus 330) was full going over and it left and arrived on time. It was an uneventful flight with the crew efficiently serving meals and regularly coming around with drinks (water, juice etc). The entertainment was reasonable, although we flew three weeks apart and the movie selection had not changed in that time. On the return trip (mid week) the plane was only one third full. I am 6 foot tall and found the seats / legroom okay for an economy class seat. I would fly with them again.

I travelled with Vietnam Airlines three times. Although the airplanes I flew in were not brand new ones, they were well equipped and offered enough leg space. Inflight entertainment could be better, AVOD system is available on the long-haul flights but there were not many interesting channels available. Staff service, especially on the long-haul flight was superb, much better than on many European airlines I travelled with. Finally, I now know that it is possible to serve delicious food onboard, even in Economy class. I can really recommend flying Vietnam Airlines.

I travel to Vietnam almost every 12 months, and take senior school students on tour there every two years, so I have had many internal and international flights with VNM. Last two trips were on cramped A320s, no leg room at all, and my taller students, some well over 6ft had to sit bolt upright all night, and even then their legs were jammed into the seat in front all trip. Even I, at 171cm could not recline seat enough to be slightly comfortable. If someone in front reclines their seat, it's in your face, literally! They used to fly 777s on the Melbourne and Sydney routes, these were quiet and comfortable. Their scheduling suits going either way, and I used to think they were a good airline, and recommended them to friends. No longer. I'd rather travel via Singapore or Hong Kong and spend more time in transit than fly with them again. They seem to have a contempt for their international customers' comfort. Internal flights by contrast are usually fine, except that Vietnam Airlines is developing a habit of "rescheduling" flights due to some inscrutable problem, really probably because the flight isn't full and they cancel it, so you can sit around airports for hours waiting for the next plane, and no reason or apology offered.

HCMC-Hanoi 27th June, VN 1140. Very enjoyable short flight, good inflight food - tasty and fresh. Cabin crew attentive and interacting. Seating very good. Despite being a short flight, overall very pleasant to travel with. Only suggestion would be to have also water handy on the pre-drink tablet, currently only sweet juices offered, water must be asked for.

LGW-SGN 9.6.12 return SGN-LGW 22.6.12 Deluxe Economy - we were advised of a change of flight times but not told why and were informed when got to check in that we were going via Frankfurt both going out and on the return. The reason we booked with Vietnam Airlines was due to the direct flights between LGW and SGN. We travel with our son who is 3 and previously flown Singapore Airlines which is only a 55 min transfer at Singapore unlike the almost 2 hours spent in Frankfurt. We would have chosen to fly Singapore Airlines if we had known that the flight would not be direct. Apart from the non direct issue the flight itself was comfy, we were in deluxe economy which is comfortable and spacious and just what was needed on a long flight. There is plenty of leg room and the seats recline a long way. This was worth the extra money. The child's meal on the way out was good but on the return all the food was below standard. Our 3 year olds child meal was prawns wrapped in noodles and salad for breakfast. Our own meals on the return were again not great and only just warm. The entertainment system did also not work on the return trip which is a huge disappointment.

Flight: In last month. An excellent trip with lovely attentive staff. Modern A330 aircraft and more than adequate AVOD. Terrific vegetarian food offered (a nice surprise), and many drinks rounds.

London Gatwick - Bangkok via HCMC. Plane was Boeing 777. Smooth check-in in London. Our plane had a technical stopover in Paris for 2 hr to pick up more passengers and refuelling. Even with the technical stopover we still arrived 1hr early. Inflight food and drink service was very good. I pre-ordered Asian Vegetarian meal which arrived and was tasty. Seats are a bit hard but ok. Inflight entertainment ok but old and on loop. On arrival in HCMC airport we were guided by ground staff to international departures to catch our flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Luggage was transferred automatically. I would use this airline again.

SIN-HAN on A330. Older style but comfortable seats with good pitch. Food tasty, staff helpful. IFE disaster and no apologies for its absence. Seemed to be on older aircraft with tatty carpet and missing or broken panels. VN has a way to go to catch up with other Asian carriers but they have good prices.

I took 2 domestic flights during May, both on A321s. Seats are comfortable, especially as I was able to secure a seat in the emergency exit row, so enjoyed a few inches extra leg room. Both aircraft's clean and well kept. Both flights were on time, which was good. However, you only get a bottle of water on these flights and the crew did the minimum. On both flights once they had handed out the drinks, the crews disappeared until just before landing. I also thought that their attention to ensuring passengers had seat belts on and had stopped using their electronic devices at the time requested was minimal. At least baggage claim at both destinations was prompt, but all in all I was not impressed and would avoid them if I went to Vietnam again.

Flew return Sydney-Hanoi via Saigon. Everything was on time and the luggage arrived. There was an army of staff waiting in Saigon to direct the Australians catching the connecting flight to Hanoi. They collected our luggage for us to transport it to the Domestic Terminal, and they drove us in a bus even though it was a short walk. I found all meals onboard delicious. The 9 hour flight went by extremely quickly because there were plenty of movie choices. My only disappointment was when I flew VN from Saigon-Bangkok last year they gave us bottles of water, for the Sydney flight they were filling up very small cups only.

Gatwick-HCMC. Departure time brought forward 3 hours, what should have been a direct 12.5 hour flight was to become 16.5 hours. Despite checking in 3 hours before departure and being 2 of only 42 Gatwick boarding passengers were told that all seats were taken prior to our arrival and nothing offered with extra legroom. Asked why we were unable to book seats online, told system not available as yet - although it appears that those boarding at CDG some 5 hours later were able to. Unable to check-in luggage for internal connections at HCM. Service onboard miserable. Sent my prawns back as they were tepid and received tepid chicken instead. Sent it back. Aperitif arrived after dinner. Video system not working. Refused to eat yet again tepid breakfast and couldn't get off quick enough on final arrival at HCMC. The thought of another 16.5 hour journey is ruining my idea of a relaxed holiday.

Gatwick to Hanoi and HCM to Gatwick. Also used for internal flights. Booked as direct flights to/from Vietnam, but were changed at last minute. We were required to stop and disembark at Frankfurt on way to Hanoi and on the return leg, we stopped at CDG for 1.5 hrs. Planes tired and inflight entertainment limited for a long haul flight. No vegetarian meals provided on internal flight - told that these should have been booked in advance, but were not made aware of this prior to flight. On return leg, requested aisle seat not provided and a baby basket was erected in front of our seats for another passenger without any prior warning or consultation and which trapped us into our seats. Staff could not have been more unhelpful in resolving. Generally found the staff (whether inflight or at check-in) unfriendly and not willing to listen or assist. Would not recommend for international flights.

Travelled to UK/Europe, with very few complaints. Very first flight delayed 5 hours, meaning we missed our connection in Ho Chi Minh, but that was because of a typhoon, and although it was a little chaotic when we arrived the airline put us up in a lovely hotel and paid all our meals until we left the following night. Yes the seating is a little cramped, the meals average, the entertainment system a bit hit and miss, but all flight staff seem friendly and helpful, and the price was great.

BKK-SGN-BKK Business. This was a short flight but a reasonably pleasant one. Service was good form crew. On short flights hot meals were served with drinks and refills. There was no need for entertainment so did not pay attention. Planes were A321 - fairly new and clean. No problems on either flights. Lounge at Bangkok was Louis Tavern (a CIP lounge) and fairly basic and VN airlines (Skyteam) lounge at SGN which is bigger and better equipped. All in all good flights.

Flew from Gatwick to HCM. The whole plane was very scruffy, the food and entertainment out was ok though only Asian breakfast available and the staff were on the whole pretty good, however on the flight home the entertainment system didn't work, the food was poor and if possible the plane was even scruffier than the one we flew out in. On the whole until the upgrade their fleet I would not fly with them again. Even if it means having a two stop flight it would still be more desirable than flying with VA.

Flew Gatwick to Hanoi in Deluxe Economy. Possibly the worst quality aircraft I have ever been on. Tatty seats with the covering on the arms falling off, dirty and uncomfortable, no padding left in the seat cushion and for 11 hours it was uncomfortable. To create a deluxe economy class they have simply removed one row of seats from the economy cabin to give a greater seat pitch, no extra width or any other perks whatsoever. Flight attendants were okay, food average and inflight entertainment worked. Overall for the extra we paid not worth the money. I would rather fly via Bangkok on a quality premium economy than waste my money with VA again.

Bangkok-Hanoi-Seoul-HCMC-Bangkok. Flights from and to Vietnam operated by A321. Check-in was fast, onboard was clean, new with generous leg room. Food was nice with one drink round. Staff were helpful, some robotic but not rude. Flight to Korea on a wide-body A330, new nice interiors, very comfortable seats and AVOD with a good selection of films. Same food as on short flight. Return flight however, was on B777 with old interior, very cramped, uncomfortable hard seat and leg room smaller than A320s - all head rests were not functional. Food was good and crew of a good standard. Overall the experience including transit was acceptable. All flights on time.

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