VIETNAM AIRLINES 787-9 ‘Premium Economy’ Seats!【Trip Report: Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok】
A very good early afternoon to you from busy Saigon as we cross into the central District 1 and welcome to this trip report which you probably think you’ve seen before. But I’ve got something a bit different today. The route between Saigon and Bangkok is easily
The route I fly the most often. For as many trip reports as I have published about it, I’ve probably actually flown it two or three times since I only like to make a trip report about it when I have something different to show. In today’s case,
It’s actually a bit of premium economy action. So this is my first of four flights that are getting me from Saigon today to Athens some 34 hours later. It is interesting since I have this seat today too which means this four leg hop will have economy,
Premium economy, business and first class. First though we need to get to the airport here in the center of the city. So, this city is huge, basically everything to the left of the line is Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as it’s usually called locally. To those that
Like to correct me for saying Saigon, I’ll just leave you with this gem, the seal of the city, which lists both. Anyway, Tan Son Nhat International airport was built in the 1930s by the French Colonial government and has for nearly a decade now been operating
Way over capacity. So, there is a new airport that is finally starting to take shape way out here in Long Thanh. It’s expected that the future will see a similar system to Bangkok, where Vietnam Airlines would move to the new airport along with most full service carriers,
While the old airport would be turned into Vietjetland. I’m hoping it’ll take the code HCM just so we have equal representation in the city. Anyway, as we now head inside to the check in hall now, let me welcome any of you that are new to the channel. My name
Is Kevin and I am The Flip Flop Traveller. I think the internet is in need of a whole lot more honesty when it comes to airline and hotel content and that’s why I’m here- I’m just here
To be real. I make trip reports and high end hotel reviews and I always self fund my trips. In fact, you’ll always be able to find the exact price I paid in the description below. I don’t alert any companies I’ll be filming because I want as normal of an experience as possible. So,
In this video today, I’m going to give you nothing more than my real, honest and unbiased opinion based on my personal experience. I have Skyteam Elite Plus status which is what allowed me to check in at the SkyPriority lounge. That is also what allowed me to select
Today’s seat. Policies are slightly different from carrier to carrier, but Skyteam Elite and Elite Plus members essentially can choose any seat on their flight for free when booking. Vietnam Airlines very frequently uses their Widebody 787s and A350s on short routes for
Some frequencies such as this afternoon’s flight. There are two versions of the 787, one has premium economy and one has economy plus. Luckily today we had the full premium economy so when Booking i selected the seat for free, since they don’t offer a Premium Economy product on this route.
I think this is a pretty unique and valuable benefit if you fly Skyteam a lot. Keep in mind if you open the Air France Bank of America credit card, that automatically gives you Skyteam Elite. Anyway, let’s get through to the Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge.
The entrance leaves a bit to be desired, but once inside it’s nice and bright and open with a variety of seating and eating areas. Don’t expect any Singapore or Cathay luxuries though. Food is your standard Vietnam lounge food fare, but the views are fantastic,
Making this my favorite lounge in the airport. Vietnam Airlines currently has 97 aircraft in their fleet with a further 61 on order, 50 of which are 737 Max Family, which is a totally new type for the carrier. Of their aircraft, 29 of them are widebody
Which are the true work horses. On a normal day, they have around 30 flights in each direction between Saigon and Hanoi, around 20 on wide bodies. As Lunar New Year comes around, that will increase to possibly near 100 per day. Here is your yearly reminder to stay away from
Vietnamese airports in the days leading up to Tet. Here’s your friendly reminder to click that thumbs up button, subscribe to the channel and share this video with friends and family. Those are truly the easiest ways- all free for you- to help the channel grow. If you’d like to
Support me further my Patreon is linked in the description below. Thanks very much in advance. Anyway, let’s head down to the very busy bus gate area. In the coming years this crowding should be eased a bit as another terminal here at this airport is already under construction, finally.
I figured today we could take a look at the connectivity in general between Vietnam and Thailand at the moment. Over the years, connectivity to 2nd tier cities has expanded a lot, relatively speaking- but overall the market is still below pre-covid levels. There are currently six carriers that fly between the countries which is
Down from a peak of I believe eleven carriers which have served the route over the years. VNA currently fly to 61 regular destinations, 22 of which are domestic with an additional 17 charter destinations, 16 of which are 2nd and third tier cities in China.
Despite signage that said we were going to Siem Reap, they assured us this was boarding for Bangkok. I’ll take there word for it that there are no 787s flying to Siem Reap anytime soon. The bus was confused as well. As we drove to the other side of the
Airport, we started to get some peaks of perfect sunshine to let some of these aircraft really pop. Let’s take a look at today’s flight stats on the way. And here’s one of my favorite things on earth. Boarding a widebody aircraft by stairs.
There are five rows of premium economy on these 787-9s and for today’s flight I was in 14A. These are the same seats you’ll find on the ex-Norwegian birds as well as in Scoot’s premium class among I’m sure many other airlines that are slipping my mind.
They’re really comfortable seats. My only two gripes would be the airbag in the seat belt which is just uncomfortable to sit with as well as the arm rests extending quite far forward, preventing you from wide crossing your legs. There is a foot rest though and
Universal outlets for each seat. The seats themselves are 20 inches wide, which is good for Premium Economy and even better, they’re nearly 22 inches deep which is really good and provides great support. Plus they have legroom for days and an additional footrest.
By the way, I should mention even if you have no status, you can buy these seats for an additional reasonable fee within a few days of departure- just keep your eyes on the seat maps. The entertainment monitor is in the center console and has your call buttons on the bottom of it.
Wet wipes were passed out and it was time for push back, the safety video and taxiing to the runway. Here’s where they’re building the new terminal. The spool up, take off and airport stats are coming up next. The tray table pops up from the side and is a good
Size and sturdy enough. A lunch service followed. Unfortunately Vietnam Airlines has done away with hot meals on this short flight as of a few months ago, so now we just get a sandwich. As far as egg salad goes, I suppose it was pretty good,
But I’d much rather have a beef curry of course. Let’s take a look at the entertainment on board. For a regional carrier like VNA, I think it’s as expected. There’s enough to pass the time and also a good in flight map. And, thankfully, overhead air vents as well.
Well, with a flight time of just 70 minutes today, things were quickly wrapping up as we began to approach Bangkok from the southeast. A quick comment about service on board. 90% of the crew were great and smiley and just all around pleasant. I’m not sure who was actually running
The show, but one of the two in Purser uniform was just not having it today and looking like she was on a mission to make all of the crew miserable the entire flight. Perhaps she was just mad that she
Wasn’t in charge. No idea. A rarity for VNA. Alright, I’ll let you enjoy the descent and landing in Bangkok, the airport stats are also coming up. So, it was short and sweet but I’m very glad at least I was able to show you a new product that
I haven’t featured on the channel previously. To be honest, I’d love to feature more premium economy products on the channel, but I find so many of them overpriced and the fares just continue to rise. Southeast Asia to New York pre Covid was regularly under $1400
Round trip on a variety of carriers. Now you’re lucky when you can find something under $2000. Overall, it was a perfectly nice little flight. Shame to see the hot meal service go by the wayside, but I’ll take a cold sandwich and a better seat any day of the week.
I really hope you enjoyed this trip report today. If you did, please be sure to click that thumbs up button and subscribe with notifications on so you don’t miss out on my twice weekly content. I upload full length videos every Thursday and Saturday. I’ll see you
Next time at the absolutely sublime Regent Phu Quoc. Oh and thanks for watching until the end.
Watch this economy class trip report if you want to see what it’s like to fly Vietnam Airlines’ 787-9 in their Premium Economy seats on the short hop to Bangkok from Ho Chi Minh City. If you have status with SkyTeam or willing to pay a small fee, these seats are a steal!
🎥 In This Video:
-Tan Son Nhat Airport (Saigon)
-Check in Experience
-Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge
-Bussing to the Plane
-Boarding via Stairs
-Full Seat Tour
-In Flight Service
-Take off & Landing Clips
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💸 Fare Paid
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Upgrade: Premium Economy Seat Available for $15 at Check In
Class: Economy Class
Inclusions: Premium Economy Seat, 10kg Carry on, 23kg Baggage
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📽 Next 5 Videos (🩴 = Must Watch)
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⇢ 23 Dec: Etihad Airways 787-10 Business Class BKK-AUH 🩴
⇢ 28 Dec: Pullman Resort Phu Quoc, Vietnam
⇢ 30 Dec: Etihad Airways A380 First Class AUH-LHR 🩴🩴🩴
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↪ Video Chapters ↩
0:00 Driving to Airport & Flight Info
00:57 The Future Long Thanh Airport
01:37 Arrival at Airport
02:13 The Check in Hall & Experience
03:12 Vietnam Airlines Lotus Lounge
04:07 Plane Spotting From Lounge
04:46 Vietnam & Thailand Routes
05:09 Heading to the Gate
05:32 Our Gate
05:56 Bus to Remote Stand
06:51 Boarding 787-9 via Stairs
07:18 First Impressions on Board
07:27 Full Premium Economy Seat Tour
09:46 Push Back & Taxi
10:34 Spool up, Take off & Flight Stats
12:02 Meal Service
12:42 In Flight Entertainment
13:20 Approaching Bangkok
14:43 Landing & Deplaning
15:55 The Flip Flop Score
This is NOT a promotional video. I pay for all of my flights and hotels (and I always tell you how much!) so I can be as honest and impartial as possible. I do not receive any special treatment that wouldn’t otherwise be publicly accessible, in fact, the hotels and airlines have no idea about my visit and that’s the way I like it!
#vietnamairlines #vietnam #tripreport
35 Comments
Great video. Bonus points for the '-action', status-scoring advice, and comprehensive leg-room reporting. I think I would have bought that cabin option.
Hello . I am Ross from Brisbane Australia . I am #2 to like video . An excellent presentation
Such a stunning livery, one of my favourites! Nice to fly wide-body on such a short hop. Unfortunately the ticket prices are indeed sky high (no pun intended) at the moment. Thank you for the review and look forward to the next video of the Regent 🤩
I'm considering flying direct with them LHR-SGN next month, I think the 600(ish) GBP price one-way is pretty decent.
Mate halfway through the vid you haven't boarded or even got on the plane just a lot of talk so far
For the first time I saw The Flip flop traveler not wearing flip flops ☺️. I am sure there are videos with shoes on but I just noticed it today. Great video as always!
Hi, Kevin. Another great report. I don't know how you keep posting great report after great report. Whatever it is don't stop doing it. Thank you🤩🤩
I don’t think the Bank of America Air France card give skyteam elite status for free. You have to reach minimum spend and flights to each it
Is the answer Vancouver to London Heathrow on Air Canada in business, I can’t think of any other airports that end with an ‘R’ ( I’m not saying they don’t exist though, just my limited knowledge of airport codes🤷♂️)
That sandwich really looked lovely!👍🏻
Sublime
Boarding aircraft by stairs, especially covered ones, is so retro and luxe 🎉😊. Another great short and sweet flight. ✈️
It would be good to see more premium economy content. Generally that would be the cabin I'd look at first. Depending on the airline, aircraft and route.
Brilliant video Kevin 📹 👏. Looking forward to Etihad videos, especially the Bangkok to Abu Dhabi. Well wishes 😊😊☺️
Awww, unfortunately HCM was taken by Eyl airport in Somalia already. What else could be possible as Long Thanh code?
Do you live in Vietnam?
I love how you talk so much about aviation in your videos, such as about bamboo's crisis or the new Long Thanh airport. It shows the time and research you had spent for a video
12:30 They should at least serve a Bahn Mi if they're only doing sandwiches.
hey Kevin! Thank you for your review!! I personally do think that vna is probably the best airline now to fly from sgn and han to bkk now! I look forward to your EY reviews to LHR too!! (oh yea, if you happen to do a lot of repositioning flights to/from saigon/hanoi on vna, could you please do a review on that too? Thank you!!
also, YYZ to YVR on air canada in business?
lounge food was way better
Agreed, pretty good flight! And the baording was awesome!
Thank You ✈️
Great vid… I have flown vn premium economy in their B787 and A350. I very much prefer the B787 PE to that of the A350. The 787 is 2-3-2 where as tge A350 is 2-4-2. The PE seats in B787 just feel a lot more spacious, comfortable and premium to that of the PE seats in A350
Where did you book this flight omg. On their website it only shows A321 to Bangkok
Kevin, you caught me off guard with a non scheduled release😮. Hope the extra work has not eaten into your family and leisure time🤞🏽. I'm all for background and airport stories but I feel the flight time in the video was too less. I also feel some element is missing🤔, maybe you could have gone on to explain bit more about premium economy seat, real feel and is it worth it for short haul flights or anything else inflight to make it feel more wholesale. Honestly the review felt like short haul economy review. Sorry if I've offended you😢
A good brisk short haul review, and the carrier delivered. Thank you.
I presume you know about Qatar banning Josh Cahill and firing the cabin crew following his unfavourable review. What do you think of this and how might it affect you?
You only get 60XP when approved for Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard. How can that be enough for Silver Elite status? Silver needs 100XP. Is this right?
I saw very weird things at SGN Airport. A man rides a bike on the airfield at SGN Airport. Females cleaning crew works in Men restroom while there were alot of men. Airport Restroom smell bad and only one bottle of hand soap to pass around.
Thank you Kevin. Premium economy seems to be a nice choice.
Thanks for the info + video!
I really like your reviews! 🙂
Not sure the logic they are using for planning the Airports but from what I heard the new airport in Long Thanh will be used only for international and the old SGN in the future for domestic.
The obvious problem will be connecting between international and domestic flights but they say they will build a high speed rail line between the two airports .
The two airports are very far from each other just looking at a map for them to build a high speed train would take billions and judging by the time they have taken to build the metro it wouldn’t get built in any anyone alive today lifetime.
The new Long Thanh area is massive and I can’t understand why they aren’t building all the phases all at once , it could easily handle all the flights and shut down SGN completely.
Why are the wasting money building a terminal 3 at SGN ? Put the money and resources into the new airport .
It really makes sense in the long term to get that airport out of the city they could sell the land for development and that would pay for the new airport .
Also never a good idea to have a busy airport in the centre of a densely populated city just a matter of when not if a airliner crashes short of the runway or goes down after takeoff
Great video. I have never seen them use Dreamliner on short-flight SGN-BKK. Last year I flew from SIN to SGN and SGN-BKK both A321. SGN-BKK was supposed to be A359 but usually only A321. Very rarely big aircraft on short flight
This seems pretty rare, tbh. A short route like SGN-BKK with a wide-body fleet is that insane; usually it is operated by A321 instead.
Guessing for the letters it's YYZ to LHR in Air Canada Business. Could be any canadian airport I guess though, and could be domestic, but taking a punt 🙂 Hope you're well and thanks for another great video!