This July I had the opportunity to fly Vietnam Airlines business class across four sectors: Sydney–Hanoi (seat 4A), Hanoi–Paris (seat 3A), London–Hanoi (2K) and Hanoi–Sydney (8A), all on the Airbus A350-900.
Check-in at every airport was handled in person by staff rather than machines and the wait in the business class queue was just a couple of minutes each time.
I was able to check in my family who were flying in economy and their bags were tagged priority alongside mine, a thoughtful touch that made the journey easier for all of us.
At Sydney I opted for the economy security lane rather than business class and found it surprisingly quick, with no delays. Boarding across every flight was smooth and punctual, with each aircraft pushing back on time.
In Sydney I had access to the SkyTeam Lounge, shared with numerous airlines including China Airlines, KLM and Delta. It was quiet and spacious, but the food selection was limited and uninspiring.
By contrast, the Lotus Lounge in Hanoi was excellent. Large, stylish and comfortable, with a wide range of food and drinks and plenty of conveniently located charging points, which made preparing for a long flight much easier. In London I chose not to visit the lounge.
On board, Vietnam Airlines immediately made a graceful impression. As passengers settled in, the crew lined up at the front of the cabin and bowed in welcome.
Seats were arranged in the 1-2-1 format and my capsule seat was spacious, with ample legroom and the ability to recline into a fully flat bed.
I found the seatbelt long enough to allow me to sleep on my side and there was plenty of clever storage space for my iPad, phone, charger and handbag.
A large tray table made dining and working easy, while a fitted seat cover, laid down by the crew, added an extra touch of care. A bottle holder with water already provided was another simple but useful detail.
Noise-cancelling headphones were offered along with an amenities kit containing a folding comb and brush, lip balm, hand cream, eye mask, earplugs and even “do not disturb” stickers. Each flight had the same contents though the bag design varied.
The entertainment system came with a large screen and a reasonable choice of films and television, though there was no Wi-Fi or search function. I had preloaded my iPad, so this was not a drawback.
Dining was where Vietnam Airlines really impressed me. Meals were served soon after take-off and again around two-and-a-half hours before landing.
Instead of a printed menu, the crew presented the options directly. Out of Hanoi the menu always included a Western or Asian meal, while flights departing Sydney and London leaned more towards Western dishes.
Highlights across the four flights included prawn and scallop starters, seafood bouillabaisse, beef with mashed potato, Hainan chicken, pork belly, cheese and biscuits, fruit, macarons and even rock lobster — a first for me on a plane.
Every meal came with generous baskets of bread, including garlic bread, which I am a complete sucker for. Pre-dinner drinks were served and wine was topped up throughout the meal, though between meal services I noticed there were no visible snacks or regular drink rounds.
While the business class offering from Vietnam Airlines might not rank among the most opulent in the world, its pricing reflects that and what it offers is exactly what matters most on long-haul travel: punctual flights, polite and smiling staff, comfortable lie-flat beds and consistently excellent food.
For me, that combination made every journey a pleasure and I would gladly fly with them again.
