✅
Trip Verified | We arrived at Heathrow airport to travel to Sydney via Vietnam on the 18th March 2020. There was already an issue when we arrived, as travelers were being turned away in the line in front of us. The counters were cordoned off and there were Vietnam Airline staff, airport staff and police stationed at the entrance to that section. We learnt that Vietnam Airlines were refusing to board anyone who was not a Vietnam National, due to Covid-19. Despite having Australian passports a visa for Vietnam and a booked Vietnam Airlines flight to Sydney, we were not permitted to board. There was no-one stationed at the Vietnam Airlines Support counter either at anytime. We phoned, emailed, messaged our travel agent numerous times and also phoned Vietnam Airlines a dozen times without being able to speak to anybody. We had purchased business class tickets for our return to Australia. We were eventually able to secure economy tickets from another airline to fly home via Singapore. Since our return we have sent numerous emails. Our travel agent informs us that Vietnam Airlines have stated that they will not refund 'partially used tickets' and because we got ourselves to Europe, they don't have to refund us. They recorded all non-Vietnamese citizens as 'no-shows', despite the fact that we were not permitted to reach the check-in counters. It is three months on and we have been told we will not be able to receive any refund for our flights; despite the fact that is was their responsibility to board us or arrange alternative flights for us. The airlines are to their detriment, incredibly poor communicators; the irony of yelling at passengers whilst continuing to welcome us to travel again. Unfortunately, there is no chance we would use this airline again, nor would we recommend them.