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On my recent trip pursuing the SAS EuroBonus Millionaire challenge, I had to fly back from Jakarta to Seoul with Vietnam Airlines. The stopovers and schedules were not the best, with options via both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. I went for the latter one, given that I could get the chance to try both their A321 and 787-10, a variant I’ve never tried before. Here’s a detailed recap of my experience with Vietnam Airlines, from Jakarta (CGK) to Ho Chi Minh (SGN) on an A321-200. You can check the review of the second flight here. Let’s start!
| Route | CGK-SGN |
| Flight | VN630 |
| Cabin | Economy Class |
| Equipment | Airbus A321 |
| Aircraft | VN-A605 |
| Flight Time | Approx. 2h 30m |
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
Check In & Security
My flight was at 2 p.m., so I had plenty of time to get to the terminal. I was staying at the d’primahotel Airport Jakarta Terminal 3 Wellness Center, which was conveniently located inside the same terminal as the flight departed. I checked out at around noon and walked for 5 minutes to the check-in desks.
The terminal is immense and beautiful. It was much noisier and busier than Incheon’s Terminal 2 (also huge). Even though I was flying Economy, I could leverage my SkyTeam Elite status to use the SkyPriority lane. The agent took roughly 5 minutes to check my documents and print my boarding passes. After that, I went straight to security and immigration, which was a breeze. Overall, I’m still pleasantly surprised by Jakarta’s airport facilities, extremely well prepared for tourists, making the whole arrival and departure smooth.
Gate
I didn’t have access to a decent lounge, so I opted to have breakfast at the terminal, which was beautiful. Once I grabbed a bite, I headed to the gate. The plane was getting ready for boarding. The seating area at the gate wasn’t really comfortable, but it didn’t take long until the staff called for boarding by groups.
Boarding
As I had Zone 2, I could use the SkyPriority lane along with Business Class and other priority passengers. As we were getting into the plane, the atmosphere wasn’t quiet. Vietnam Airlines has also been recognized for its hospitality and warmth of its crew, but I didn’t feel it that way, especially compared to Garuda’s crew.
The flight attendants were correct, but everything they did or indicated to the passengers felt as if they were bothered or annoyed. As I headed towards my seat, the staff asked me how much luggage I had and indicated where my seat was.
People were also rushing to their seats. It didn’t take long before all the seats were occupied. The flight was completely full, and the overhead bins were packed.
Cabin & Seat
The cabin was tidy and fresh, but you could for sure tell this was an old aircraft with an older cabin design. The 3-3 seat configuration in Economy Class was decent regarding legroom, and the older design made the seat cushions more comfortable than on newer aircraft. There wasn’t much on the seat besides a few magazines and the safety card. As we boarded, the crew handed out some wet towels.
Taxi & Takeoff
The day was cloudy, and earlier flights had been delayed due to rain and storms. We got lucky that the sky cleared, and we could take off on time, as I had a connecting flight at SGN. The boarding process was slightly delayed. Once we were ready, the plane pushed back and headed towards the runway (~10 min taxiing). As we taxied, the crew played a safety video and double-checked seatbelts and the entire cabin.
We took off and enjoyed nice views of Jakarta on a cloudy afternoon. There were few city views, but the sky was lovely to watch.
Meal
The flight wasn’t too short, so the crew didn’t rush to start the snack service. About 40 minutes into the flight, the flight attendants started giving out meals. On the bright side, there was not only a hot meal but also a menu with two options. I went for the beef and steamed rice. The downside was that the crew was overly cold, and it was very hard to get drinks from them, even water. Bottled water was not given, as on previous flights/other airlines, so you had to almost beg them to get a cup.
Approach & Landing
After the meal, the flight was uneventful. I got some work done, and soon it was time to land. The afternoon and sunset were beautiful. After landing, it was already getting dark. We parked at a remote position and were brought by bus to the terminal.
Video Review
Summary
I had a decent flight with Vietnam Airlines. The price I paid (with points) was decent, the meal was tasty, and the seat was OK for a 2.5-hour flight. I would definitely fly with them again. On the downside, there weren’t many good options for connecting flights, forcing the connections to depart too late. The experience onboard could have been better with IFE, a warmer crew, or a more organized boarding and deplaning process.