Here’s my impressions of my Vietnam Airlines flight from Noi Bai International to Tan Son Nhat International:
Getting to the Airport: Called a Grab to take me to the airport after checking out of the Capella Hanoi. Approximately 40 minutes to the airport.
Check-in and Security: The Vietnam Airlines domestic terminal has a priority area, with separate check-ins for SkyPriority and Business Class customers. There was no one ahead of me for check-in. Priority security was fast and efficient.
Lounge: Was invited to the Domestic Terminal Lotus Lounge. The lounge was spacious and not very busy while I was there. I relaxed and didn’t try any of the food or drinks.
Boarding: Boarding started about 40 minutes before departure. To my minor surprise, we were bussed to the plane. At Hanoi, there are separate busses for Business and Economy passengers, with the Business bus being very spacious and comfortable.
Hard Product: The VN 787 uses the Safran Cirrus III seat in 1-2-1 configuration. The seat was reasonably comfortable for a short-haul flight. The footwell was a bit interesting, since much of it is open, with a small portion that is covered. I did not test in lie-flat configuration, but did recline the seat. I did not use the IFE or the provided headphones for the short flight. A blanket was provided for the flight, but no pillow.
Soft Product: The flight attendants were pleasant and prompt with service requests. For a short (2-hour) flight, a light meal was provided. I ordered the salmon spring rolls with shrimp lettuce wraps (I actually missed what these were called so I’m making a name up). It was very light, but was a good late afternoon snack. I ordered a Vietnamese iced coffee after the meal service to help keep myself awake.
Amenities: Being a short-haul flight, there was nothing offered.
Arrival: We landed on time. Again, we were parked at a remote gate and a bus picked us up. There was a separate bus for Business passengers, and we departed the plane to the airport as soon as all the Business passengers deplaned.
Leaving the Airport: Like Hanoi, there is a short walk to the rideshare pickup. From there I ordered a Grab to the Park Hyatt, landing around rush hour meant heavier traffic, so it was about 30 minutes to get to the hotel.
Overall: For a 2-hour domestic flight, this was a pretty nice way to fly. It’s a bit surprising (and impressive) that Vietnam Airlines flies long-haul planes (either 787s or 350s) between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PDw6aSYVc2osHr477
Glad everything went alright with this VN 787! *cough* I think you lucked out on that route; took VN a321 from HAN-CXR, and it was fine (recliners), but lie-flat on a wide-body is far superior. It's so refreshing that even on a 2-hour domestic flight, you get a light meal (looked pretty good). Not great with all the buses; kinda surprising since the domestic terminal at HAN does have ample gates with jetbridges... and, apparently, from the photo, your aircraft was literally parked at one of them... Oh well. Looked like nice conditions there (sunny!) Ooh, I recognize that Sapphire lounge tag; got one at the lounge in SAN, myself!) Looking forward to your thoughts on that Park Hyatt in Ho Chi Minh City! Thank you for continuing to share these, and hope the jet lag is improving!
@1990_ yeah it was really weird to be bussed to a plane that had a jet bridge located right next to it. My only guess was that the plane was parked in the international terminal. Otherwise it was a great flight, considering it's domestic. I picked a 787 rather than an A350 (which would usually be my preference) because it looks like some 350 configurations have a 2-2-2 configuration, and I wanted to avoid that.