Vietnam Airlines - Bangkok to Ha Noi

[munitalP]

I thought I would write a short trip report about Vietnam Airlines.

Through the misalignment of planets, sun flares or extra gravitational pull, I arrived at the check in counter for Vietnam Airlines to find my expected J ticket, was actually a Y. How could this be, where was the soft landing from flying F the night before to the expected J – oh well, I got over it quite fast, asked for a window seat, got allocated 32A (A321) and headed through immigration at Bangkok Airport in search of coffee…

Just a point of interest – between immigration and security, if you look out the window down into the garden, is this the worlds largest marijuan_ crop?

I wandered through the concrete labyrinth humming Hearts of Lothian to myself until deep in the bowels of this cold grey monster I found the tomb I was looking for – the Qantas Club.

 

[munitalP]

On entering and finding the place empty except one couple, I made for the coffee machine followed by an orange juice, and a small but very nice cup cake (hollow with jam inside). After a second coffee, I went off in search of gate E something and my first VN flight to Ha Noi.

I had left Australia with about $30 in my wallet with the anticipation of getting some money at BKK if needed – it wasn’t so, so I didn’t, therefore I intended getting some money in Ha Noi when I got near an ATM. The reason for this statement will become obvious later on in this report, but for those who cannot handle the wait or the anticipation, skip to the last paragraph now…

The flight was slightly late arriving and I was getting slightly frustrated trying to connect to the free wireless internet available, so, in the end, I put away my notebook and stared contently at a Monk for about 3 minutes until he broke eye contact and looked away. So much for all I though I knew about Monks! (Learned from movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)

 

[munitalP]

Boarding was by row blocks, and the flight attendant at the gate was turning que jumpers away with a few hand moves that looked like she was winding up for a move from the previous mentioned movie! Cool, no priority on VN and I got priority boarding – what’s going on here? OK, 32A is a long way back in the plane – in fact, it is so far back, I can’t remember the last time I went that deep into the aluminium cigar. I always knew there were seats further back than row 7; I just didn’t really believe it!

The plane filled quickly and I couldn’t see a spare seat anywhere. I had a nice small Japanese lady next to me who decided she didn’t want to take up any room at all and actually seemed to get smaller while getting comfy and was a non chatter on top – what more could I ask for? – Rhetorical question really – J!

Before long, we were backed away from the gate, started up and heading out to our assigned runway for takeoff. The A321 used every last inch of the runway, and in 32A, I was darn near getting whiplash from the sway you don’t notice in the front of the plane – anyway we were soon off the ground, all engines intact, gear retracted and climbing a couple of degrees short of vertical – what is this plane – a VN Space Shuttle?

 

[munitalP]

I think we achieved a world record for a passenger jet to reach cruise altitude, but when we did, the air was smooth and the familiar ding of the seatbelt lights being extinguished marked the start of quite superior service.

Let’s start with the seating. The seats were adequate, they seemed slightly wider than a QF Y seat, however, the pitch was far greater. The tray table had a handy hole in one side to hold your cup, so when the notebook was out, Mrs. Japan next to me didn’t mistakenly wear my drink if I pushed the notebook to far right, and the seats had foot rests. A simple but enjoyable addition.

The flight attendants were responsive. Mrs. Japan dinged and asked for water minutes after the seatbelt light went off, within a minute or so, she was attended to and shortly thereafter, a glass of water was supplied. They then came out with meals – a choice of chicken or fish – I chose the fish. What a delightful meal – it was very edible – tasty and refreshingly not butter chicken. The vegies were crisp and the salad fresh (it needed to be with shrimps in it!). Wine, sodas coffee and tea were also served.

The attendants were pleasant and friendly, in fact, I dropped my coffee cup (before it was filled) and the attendant was devastated as it had rolled out of sight. She promised she would bring me one back (I thought yeah right who you trying to fool) when she needed to refill the coffee pot. Sure enough, she did, and served my coffee with a smile.

 

[munitalP]

Cleaning up, the attendants asked every PAX (I saw at least) if they wanted anything else and were happy to go get it. I wonder what J would have been like! I am very looking forward to my HAN/BKK flight next week in J to find out.
Based purely on this service, I would happily fly VN in Y again – in fact, I would have to say, that in my recent memory, I cannot think of a better service that I have received in an economy cabin of a plane – especially a packed in like sardines flight that this was.

The flight started to descend into Ha Noi, and well into the descent, the CSM announced all electronics need turning off, and take your assigned seats. The attendants worked right up until the landing gear was pointing toward earth then they were instructed by the CSM to sit.

The flight swept in over Ha Noi – you can really see the French influence on this city in its building architecture – no wonder the North Vietnamese fort to keep the Americanos out, who the hell would want this spoiled by Star Bucks, Freeways and concrete & glass high rise buildings?

As we landed, in Nissan huts (half round barns) along the runway, was a squadron of 1960’s MIG fighters – wow. OK, some had tarps over them, but they looked like the air force had just thrown their hands in the sky and walked away in the mid 1970’s from these babies after the kicking the Americano’s had given them in the sky’s over Vietnam.

We pulled into a typically communist airport – it looked military and had military function ability, and alighted in a very orderly fashion. There was a Malaysian pushing off as we arrived at the gate; however, we were it at the airport – one lonely VN Jet…

I had applied for an on arrival visa through an internet source, and had a letter of approval with me. I wandered down to the Visa on arrival line, got near the front then realised I needed another form filled out. I scouted around and saw a pile on a desk, went over and filled out the necessary details.

I then rejoined the line, got to the counter, passport, letter of approval, form #2 and passport sized photograph handed over to one of 7 or 8 boarder security guards cramped into an office about the size of my home office, and told to go to the other end and wait.

The process was, as someone called out something in Vietnamese, they held up your photo, if it was you, you went to the window, paid your fee and got your passport back with a shiny new visa suck in. Remember the bit about the money I didn’t get at BKK? Well, here was the catch – I needed it. They wouldn’t accept a credit card, wouldn’t accept Australian (even though I pointed out it was more valuable than the USD) and got quite angry with me. I was told to SIT and WAIT. Finally after everyone else was processed and I got escorted out to an ATM by a guard so I could get some cash.

Anyway, after all the stress, I arrived in Ha Noi safe and sound, a driver was waiting for me with a sign up, and after a quick stop to get a local prepay sim card, we were off through the Ha Noi traffic to my hotel in the city.

 

[totalk]

Good stuff.

 

[mangoss]

Cleaning up, the attendants asked every PAX (I saw at least) if they wanted anything else and were happy to go get it. I wonder what J would have been like! I am very looking forward to my HAN/BKK flight next week in J to find out.
Based purely on this service, I would happily fly VN in Y again – in fact, I would have to say, that in my recent memory, I cannot think of a better service that I have received in an economy cabin of a plane – especially a packed in like sardines flight that this was.

The flight started to descend into Ha Noi, and well into the descent, the CSM announced all electronics need turning off, and take your assigned seats. The attendants worked right up until the landing gear was pointing toward earth then they were instructed by the CSM to sit.

The flight swept in over Ha Noi – you can really see the French influence on this city in its building architecture – no wonder the North Vietnamese fort to keep the Americanos out, who the hell would want this spoiled by Star Bucks, Freeways and concrete & glass high rise buildings?

As we landed, in Nissan huts (half round barns) along the runway, was a squadron of 1960’s MIG fighters – wow. OK, some had tarps over them, but they looked like the air force had just thrown their hands in the sky and walked away in the mid 1970’s from these babies after the kicking the Americano’s had given them in the sky’s over Vietnam.

We pulled into a typically communist airport – it looked military and had military function ability, and alighted in a very orderly fashion. There was a Malaysian pushing off as we arrived at the gate; however, we were it at the airport – one lonely VN Jet…

I had applied for an on arrival visa through an internet source, and had a letter of approval with me. I wandered down to the Visa on arrival line, got near the front then realised I needed another form filled out. I scouted around and saw a pile on a desk, went over and filled out the necessary details.

I then rejoined the line, got to the counter, passport, letter of approval, form #2 and passport sized photograph handed over to one of 7 or 8 boarder security guards cramped into an office about the size of my home office, and told to go to the other end and wait.

The process was, as someone called out something in Vietnamese, they held up your photo, if it was you, you went to the window, paid your fee and got your passport back with a shiny new visa suck in. Remember the bit about the money I didn’t get at BKK? Well, here was the catch – I needed it. They wouldn’t accept a credit card, wouldn’t accept Australian (even though I pointed out it was more valuable than the USD) and got quite angry with me. I was told to SIT and WAIT. Finally after everyone else was processed and I got escorted out to an ATM by a guard so I could get some cash.

Anyway, after all the stress, I arrived in Ha Noi safe and sound, a driver was waiting for me with a sign up, and after a quick stop to get a local prepay sim card, we were off through the Ha Noi traffic to my hotel in the city.

Hi - Im loving your blog! Sounds like a really interesting time - and you have given me some good tips. Ill know to get cash out before I go!

 

[JohnK]

Very nice trip report as usual.

I wonder what J would have been like! I am very looking forward to my HAN/BKK flight next week in J to find out.

Did you ever get to return from Hanoi?

 

[Smackbum]

I recently did a Hue to Hanoi hop with Vietnam Air, after deciding that the overnight train was not for us. Actually it was my wife who decided this, due to the fact that at the end of our overnight train journey from Saigon to Danang the cabin attendant "prepared" our 4 beds (soft sleeper) by simply folding the blankets at the end of the bed. So some poor sods were going to get the sheets we had lain in for the best part of 14 hours!

But back to the flight ....

Hue airport was a bit of a backwater, but there was an (unattainable) lounge, and the shops were interesting enough for my wife to buy some clothes. The aircraft was clean and service was good, so I would happily fly them again - particularly as the flight cost around $50 each and gained us an extra day in Hanoi.

But I would like to pick up on the Visa-on-arrival sub(sob)-story. I had looked into this and was toying with the idea when first planning the trip, as it is actually cheaper than going through the consulate to get a visa in advance (and I was doing 4 of these). But my wife made the very good point that after flying EDI-LHR-HKG-SGN the last thing we needed was a hassle at immigration. So I collected the passports together and made the 2 trips out to the Sydney consulate and paid the bucks for the visas and in the end was very happy that I did.

So unless you really can't be without your passport for a few days I would give the visa-on-arrival schemes a miss.

 

[heiji262]

oh, you've got a very interesting flight
Vietnam is very beautiful.
Hope you return to Vietnam many times more