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Here’s a detailed recap of my experience on Vietnam Airlines’ 787-10, the first time I tried this variant, from Ho Chi Minh (SGN) to Seoul Incheon (ICN). This flight was the second leg of my itinerary from Jakarta to Seoul with Vietnam Airlines (as part of my SAS EuroBonus Millionaire challenge). You can check the review of the previous flight here. Let’s start!
| Route | SGN-ICN |
| Flight | VN408 |
| Cabin | Economy Class |
| Equipment | Boeing 787-10 |
| Aircraft | VN-A879 |
| Flight Time | Approx. 4h 45m |
How I Booked This Flight
I booked this flight using 30,000 EuroBonus points + ~600SEK. There weren’t many options available that fit my schedule, particularly when it comes to departure and arrival times. There was also no space in Business Class. Considering that both flights were 13h in total, and the revenue ticket was USD $400+, it was a decent redemption.
Map
Transit in Ho Chi Minh
After landing at SGN airport from my previous flight from Jakarta, I had about 4 hours to wait at the terminal before connecting to Seoul with their 787-10. I already had my boarding pass, so I didn’t have to do anything else other than wait. As I was tired and jet-lagged, I decided to stop by the Sleep Zone and get one of their boxes. It costs about ~7 USD an hour, and you can get a proper bed in a quiet area for sleeping. I really appreciated the nap. After that, I spent a few minutes at a poor lounge to grab a bite, but nothing worth reporting. The lounge was busy, crowded, almost at maximum capacity, and the meal options were almost gone.
Boarding
I headed to the gate around boarding time, which was printed on the boarding pass. Once I was there they announced a slight delay to start boarding, but nothing major. As it was getting late and a lot of people started queueing, so I decided to join the queue. Once again I was able to leverage my SkyTeam Elite status to board through the SkyPriority lane and take some pictures/footage.
I was excited to try this plane, as it was my first time on this variant, the 787-10. It’s the largest of all three. As we boarded, the cabin felt quiet and cold. Everything was tidy and organized, and unlike my previous flight, this time, the process was much quieter and smoother. Just like on my previous flight, the crew was cold and strict.
Cabin & Seat
The Economy Class cabin had a 3-4-3 layout, which is also modern and feels more spacious than on other aircraft with an older design. In the 787s, when closed, the overhead bins retract significantly, making the cabin look wider. At the seat, there was a pillow, blanket, and headphones.
As we finished boarding, the flight attendants gave away wet towels. The legroom was decent—not the best for a long-haul flight, but more than comfortable for a 5-hour ride. I was lucky enough to have no neighbor sitting next to me, so we had a free middle seat with extra space for our stuff, similar to my flight with Kenya Airways.
Taxi & Takeoff
After ~30 minutes, boarding was complete, and we were ready to push back. It took us roughly 5 minutes to get to the runway and take off. It was still very cloudy, so there were no stunning views this time.
Soon after takeoff, I got some work done while the cabin lights remained dimmed.
IFE
The IFE in Vietnam Airlines’ 787-10 is responsive and has a relatively modern OS. It was fast to switch between languages, with a simple-to-understand UI, quick access to maps and flight data, a fresh selection of movies, and even a decent Menu/Meals section. Compared to other planes of similar age, I liked it more.
Lavatory
During the entire flight, I visited the lavatories just once. I found it surprising that they also offered amenities such as toothbrushes and shaving machines for Economy Class. Nice touch!
Meal
One hour after takeoff, the crew started a dinner service. There were two options to choose from, I went for the noodles with fried chicken, which were decent but not great. Of all the Asian carriers I tried in my EB millionaire challenge, Vietnam Airlines had the worst food (even compared to the ones in Mainland China). They also served tea/coffee but no bottled water.
Approach & Landing
The rest of the flight was quiet and uneventful. Most people slept, and the cabin remained dark and super quiet. It was also a bit chilly, so the blanket became useful. Landing at Incheon was on time, but taxiing to the gate took a long time. In this opportunity, I landed at a different terminal (T1). At this time, the airport was quiet and had very little activity, but there was still a huge line at immigration/passport control. It took me ~1h to go through it. That morning, Seoul was extremely cold (-8C).
Video Review
Summary
While my time on the ground wasn’t something memorable, my flight on Vietnam Airlines 787-10 was good. For a decent price, I got a nice ride on a new airplane, a hot meal, and a good (not great) service. On the bright side, the cabin is modern, the IFE is good and responsive, and the lavatories in Economy Class have amenities such as toothbrushes and razor blades. You also get a complimentary meal with options to choose from. On the downside, the crew is not the most genuine you’ll get, the food isn’t as good as with other airlines in Asia, and the airport experience is poor. That said, I would fly with them again.