Flight Report: VIETNAM AIRLINES VN 219 – Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – Wide-Body Business Class Product in One of the World’s Busiest Domestic Routes [January 2023]

The Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City flight route has amazed me ever since; it is always busy with flights departing every 30 minutes. In an article published by Simple Flying last 29 December 2022, this domestic route within Vietnam was the world’s 4th busiest domestic route in the world for the year. It trailed behind Seoul Gimpo-Jeju, Melbourne-Sydney, and Jakarta-Denpasar Bali. The route had 21,574 flights for the whole of 2022 and even reached a peak of 70 flights daily.

Early this year, I had the chance to fly this busy domestic route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. I flew with Vietnam Airlines on flight VN 219 on business class on board their Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Join me in today’s flight report as I share with you my Vietnam Airlines experience in one of the world’s busiest domestic routes.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA AirIndonesia Air AsiaSingapore Airlines, Emirates & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines traces its roots back in January 1956 when the government formed the Vietnam Civil Aviation.  For decades, the carrier focused on expanding its reach domestically and internationally. In 1993, the airline went through restructuring and became a state-owned transport enterprise. It was also in the same year the airline was hailed as the Flag Carrier of Vietnam. The airline has experienced important developments throughout the years such as rebranding in 2002, receiving IATA membership in 2006, joining Skyteam Alliance in 2010, listing publicly in 2014, receiving 4-star rating from Skytrax and welcoming ANA Holdings as strategic investor in 2016.

Fast forward to 2023, Vietnam Airlines is the country’s biggest carrier. With a fleet of close to 100 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the airline flies to over 20 domestic destinations and over 40 international destinations across Asia, North America, Europe and Oceania. It has main hubs in Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and in Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi – the country’s capital. The airline also has substantial stakes in Pacific Airlines (formerly known as Jetstar Pacific) and VASCO (Vietnam Air Services Company).

Vietnam Airlines is known for its Golden Lotus Brand which drew inspiration from the Lotus flower – the country’s national flower. The airline is a member of the Skyteam Alliance and has codeshare agreements with a few airlines. The list of codeshare partners can be found here. The airline also has a frequent flyer called Lotusmiles. Lastly, Vietnam Airlines is a full-service carrier; it means that they provide check-in baggage, meals / snacks, and entertainment in their flights.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I booked my ticket 5 months before the intended flight date. I was searching for the best Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City flight and randomly found a good business class deal from Vietnam Airlines. I got my ticket for $118.20 one-way on business class. For context, a normal one-way business class fare for this route costs $200-$380 per person. I paid my ticket in Japanese Yen (¥) because I believed it was the best currency to pay with at the time of booking. The ticket cost me ¥15,950. My bank charged me ₱6,733.73 including foreign currency conversion charges.

The business class ticket included 18 kilograms of hand baggage (allowed up to 2 bags + 1 accessory bag), 32 kilograms of checked baggage, priority check-in and security, lounge access before departure and a lie-flat seat with personal entertainment screens and a full meal onboard. The business class privileges seemed to be the usual ones; the deal breaker was the wide-body aircraft to be used in the flight. The flight utilized an Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft – the same type of aircraft used by most carriers for long-haul flights. It is hard to find an Airbus A350 assigned to a domestic route elsewhere.

The business class privileges I got plus the wide-body aircraft used for the flight made the ticket price worth it. Not bad for a first business class experience, eh?

Travel Requirements

Vietnam Airlines staff only requires a valid ID or passport (for foreign nationals) during check-in. Covid-19 requirements and restrictions have long been removed in Vietnam.

Before the Flight

Vietnam Airlines does not send any pre-flight reminders via e-mail. The airline cancelled my initial flight, VN 265, and did not inform me ahead of time. They moved me to the next flight VN 219 without any e-mail notification or alert.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Vietnam Airlines flight VN 219 was operated by a 7-year-old Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Vietnam Airlines in December 2015, is equipped with 29 business class seats on a 1-2-1 layout, 45 premium economy class seats on a 2-4-2 configuration and 231 regular economy class seats on the standard 3-3-3 layout.

This VN 219 flight took off from Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi at 7:32pm and landed Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Saigon at 9:15pm, a few minutes behind schedule. This smooth flight only took 1 hour and 43 minutes in contrast to its 2 hours and 10 minutes flying schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

Vietnam Airlines’ domestic flights operate out of Nội Bài International Airport Terminal 1.

BUSINESS CLASS CHECK-IN

Business class passengers have dedicated check-in counters in the right part of the Vietnam Airlines section. The whole check-in process only took a few minutes. The check-in agent informed me that I have been moved to a later flight (VN 219 from VN 265) and that I was still given a window seat for the flight. After check-in, I went through security. Business class passengers have access to the fast-track section. Security was a breeze considering it was the start of the peak Lunar new year holidays in Vietnam.

DOMESTIC LOTUS LOUNGE

My business class ticket gave me access to Vietnam Airlines’ Domestic Lotus Lounge. This huge lounge is located on Level 3 Wing D and provides a nice view of the tarmac. It has hundreds of seating options, toilet and shower areas and a buffet spread. Food options were good but limited. It has a dedicated phở station for those who want to indulge in local Vietnamese noodles.

I was 3 hours early for my flight so I stayed in the lounge for more than 2 hours. I enjoyed the buffet spread, drinks selection, the comfortable seats and the beautiful tarmac view. I wish I had more space for the phở – maybe next time. I noticed the lounge did not get crowded during my whole stay.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After my long stay at the lounge, I went down and walked to Gate 5 to wait for boarding. The ground staff did not make any announcements regarding the status of our flight. I sat down and still waited for a few minutes before the boarding announcement was made.

BOARDING

The boarding process started at 6:48pm. Business class passengers, Lotusmiles and Skyteam status holders boarded the plane first. Economy class passengers followed and boarded by groups. Business class passengers boarded through the front jet bridge while economy class passengers took the rear jet bridge. The whole process only took 21 minutes; the cabin doors were closed exactly at 7:09pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

WELCOME DRINK & NEWSPAPER SERVICE

After all business class passengers settled in their respective seats, the crew started to walk around the cabin, introduced themselves and offered cold towels and welcome drinks. They offered a glass of passion fruit juice or water as welcome drink. The drink was served in Vietnam Airlines-branded coaster and glass. They also went around and offered local and English newspapers to all business class passengers.

BUSINESS CLASS SEAT FEATURES

Business class passengers on Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A350 aircraft have an access to lie-flat seats even on short domestic flights between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These seats are 21 inches wide and have a generous legroom of 42 inches. The seats have a footrest under the entertainment screens and can be placed in bed (lie-flat, reclined (or relaxed) and upright positions. These also feature adjustable head rests. Pillow and blanket are only available upon request.

The seat has a console that features the following: adjustable reading light, magazines, aircraft safety card, stowage spaces, seat controls, entertainment control system, water bottle holder, universal power outlet, USB port and a soft arm rest. The headphones are placed under the arm rest while the table and safety cards are found by the seat entrance. Unfortunately, the seat does not feature individual air nozzles.

INFLIGHT MEAL

Vietnam Airlines offers a full course meal on their domestic business class routes. Normally, they offer noodles, pasta or rice meals on these domestic routes. This flight, however, had a different meal offering. To join the whole country in celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year), the airline offered 2 traditional dishes on this flight to Ho Chi Minh City. I forgot the other option but I went for the Bánh Chưng / Bánh Tét – Vietnamese sticky rice meal.

The traditional meal came with a big portion of sticky rice with fatty pork and green bean fillings served in banana leaf, a piece of orange fruit, củ kiệu or pickled scallion heads and a traditional rice cake dessert. It also came with a glass of water and a drink of choice. Drink choices include carbonated drinks, tea, coffee, wines, fruit juices and beers.

The crew went around for the 2nd round of drinks offering tea, coffee, and water. Overall, it was a solid and filling meal. The only thing I hoped for during this flight was a non-traditional meal option for foreign passengers like me.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

All business class seats on Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A350 aircraft are equipped with 16 inches of personal entertainment screens. These personal screens, at that time, had 66 movies and around 100 television show episodes to watch and over 160 audio options to listen to. It also had games and a kids-only option for those travelling with kids.

The entertainment system also featured an inflight map which passengers can use, monitor and play around with during the flight. Individual headphones (which were not noise-cancelling) were also provided.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

The aircraft assigned to this flight was not equipped with inflight Wi-Fi connectivity.

LAVATORY

The business class cabin has 2 lavatories in the front section of the aircraft. These lavatories were both relatively spacious, clean, and well-maintained. It had a plant ornament in it and smelled great throughout the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this business class flight was exceptional. The assigned cabin crew in our area introduced herself individually to the passengers. She served us with her best smile, answered our questions politely and even took note of our requests. She also engaged in small chats during the meal service.

I would also like to give a special shoutout to the cabin manager. After the assigned cabin crew took our food orders, she personally went up to me and apologized for only having the traditional food options. She explained what the meals consist of and advised me to reach out to her in case I have problems or issues with the food. After the meal service, she again came to my seat and asked how the food was. I appreciate her going out of her way and taking care of the only foreign passenger (me) in business class during the flight.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Disembarkation and baggage claim on this flight to Ho Chi Minh only took a few minutes. Business class passengers disembarked first. Checked baggage were already in the luggage belt when we arrived in the arrival hall. Our aircraft apparently parked near the baggage claim section of the terminal. Believe it or not, I was already out of the terminal in about 5 minutes after I stepped out of the aircraft.

Final Thoughts

I had a decent and memorable first-ever business class experience with Vietnam Airlines. I believe the airline has a potential to become a major carrier in the region if they continue to improve their service and offerings.

This business class flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City had some notable positives. First, the airfare was affordable for such an experience. Imagine paying only $118 for a one-way full-service business class flight on a wide-body aircraft? It was definitely a steal. I got more than what I actually paid for. Second, the check-in process and security were quick. I finished everything in less than 10 minutes. Of course, I was able to enjoy this as part of the privileges of a business class passenger.

Third, Vietnam Airlines’ Domestic Lotus Lounge at Nội Bài International Airport offered limited but decent food and drink choices. The lounge had plenty of seat options and had a nice view of the tarmac. It also remained quiet during my stay given it was peak season in Vietnam. Fourth, it is rare these days to find lie-flat business class seats and wide-body aircraft utilized in short domestic routes. Flying the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City route on a wide-body was a pleasant experience.

Lastly, the cabin crew service on this flight was pure excellence. The assigned cabin crew and the cabin manager took care of me throughout the flight and made sure that I have a memorable flight with Vietnam Airlines.

This flight also has some areas where the airline can further improve on. First, the airline should make sure that passengers are well-informed of flight changes, cancellations, and delayed boarding schedules. I was told by the ground staff during check-in that my initial flight, VN 265, was cancelled and that I was moved to the next flight, VN 219. I did not receive any e-mail notification of this last-minute flight change. Also, I, together with the rest of the passengers were not informed of the delay in boarding schedule.

Second, the seat assigned to me, 6A, is starting to show its age. I can hear an annoying eeky sound every time I try to adjust the seat from the bed, to relax and upright positions. Third, while I did not have issues with the traditional meal options (in fact I liked it), I hope the airline can include a third and western option for foreign passengers who do not want to have the traditional meal options. Maybe retaining the noodle option all throughout is a good option.

Fourth, the headphones provided in business class were not noise-cancelling. Fifth, I hope the airline can start rolling out Wi-fi connectivity systems in all their widebodies. Today, I believe Wi-fi connectivity service (whether free or paid) is already an integral part of the flight experience. I hope the airline works on these areas and try to further improve the passengers’ flying experience.

This sums up my first ever business class flight with Vietnam Airlines. Will I fly them again in business class? I will but only if the price is right. I am also keen on trying their economy class in both short and long haul if given the chance in the future.

For those aviation geeks out there, here are the technical details of this flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City with Vietnam Airlines:

Airline: Vietnam Airlines
Flight Date: 17 January 2023
Flight Number: VN 219
Route: Hanoi, Vietnam (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (SGN)
Duration: 1 hours & 43 minutes
Seat Number: 6A (window)
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 XWB
Aircraft Registration: VN-A889
Engines: 2 x Rolls Royce Trent XWB
Age (at the time of the flight): 7.1 years old
Delivered: December 2015


Have you flown with Vietnam Airlines in business class? How was your experience? Have you flown with them in economy? How was it? Is it worth trying? I had a memorable flight with them but I am also interested in your experiences. Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about those mentioned above? You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Vietnam Airlines flight report! I hope you can also check out my previous flight reports with Emirates, Singapore Airlines, EVA Air & other airlines I flew with in the past. Also, please watch out for more in the coming weeks & months. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

PARIS MUSEUM PASS Review – Is It Worth It?

Paris Museum Pass – I have repeatedly mentioned this pass in my Paris (Days 1-2 and Days 3-5) and Versailles blog posts. My friend and I availed of and used this pass to enter different museums and monuments during our trip to Paris and Versailles last November 2022. Today, I will share with you my thoughts about this pass and whether it is worth it.

Paris Museum Pass

Paris Museum Pass is a tourist pass that gives access to over 50 museums, chateaux and monuments located in Paris and in the Paris Region. It allows access to famous sites such as Arc de Triomphe, Musée d’Orsay, Musée du Louvre, Panthéon, Sainte-Chapelle and Château de Versailles et de Trianon.

This pass allows the pass holder to visit as many museums, chateaux and monuments as possible (found in this list: Paris, Paris Region) for a specific cost and under a specific timeframe. The pass only allows single entry per site during its validity.

Cost & Validity

My friend and I bought our 48-hour pass for €52 each last November 2022. Prices have changed since then. As of April 2023, the Paris Museum Pass now costs €55 for the 2-day / 48-hour pass, €70 for the 4-day / 96-hour pass and €85 for the 6-day / 144-hour pass.

As per the website, museum pass savings / value is unlocked from the 4th visit for the 48-hour pass, from the 5th visit for the 96-hour pass and from the 6th visit for the 144-hour pass. Please also take note that the count / validity starts from the time of the 1st visit.

Please note that most museums and sites are free of charge for non-EU national visitors up to 18 years old and up to 26 years old for nationals of the European Union.

Where To Buy

Interested visitors can avail of the Paris Museum Pass in 2 ways – online and on site. Those who want to save time and paper can buy their Paris Museum Pass from the website. Those interested can choose from French, English, Spanish, Italian and German and will receive the pass in the chosen language. The museum pass will be sent via e-mail; it can be presented via mobile phone in the checkpoints.

Those who want to have a physical copy of the museum pass can buy the paper ticket from the Tourist Information Points found in major airports (CDG and ORY), train stations and even in major museums / sites. We bought our pass at CDG Airport Terminal 2F’s Tourist Information Point.

The Paris Museum Pass, once purchased, cannot be returned, exchanged, or refunded.

Advantages

Now that we know more about the Paris Museum Pass, let us look at the advantages of having this pass during your visit to Paris.

Fixed cost for all major museums and sites – The Paris Museum Pass already includes all the entry fees of the sites and museums listed in the website. Pass holders do not need to shell out additional euros to enter these sites.

Two must-see in Musée du Louvre. You can see both using your Paris Museum Pass.

Perfect for visitors with limited time in Paris – The pass provides visitors the chance to cover as many museums, sites and chateaux as possible during their limited time in the city.

Hassle-free and separate entry in selected sites – Pass holders need not to worry about long queues. Most of the sites have a special line for Paris Museum Pass holders. These special lines are often not crowded and provide immediate entry to the museum.

Great value for money – The Paris Museum Pass provides a great value for money for those who are visiting Paris in a well-planned itinerary. You can visit up to 5 sites in a day provided you have allotted ample time for all these places.

Disadvantages

The Paris Museum Pass also has some disadvantages. Let us discuss some of them below.

Some sites require reservations / timed-entry – Major museums and sites require timed-entry reservations which is almost like buying entry tickets for these sites.

Not ideal for long visits – The Paris Museum Pass is not for those who plan to stay longer in every museum / site or in Paris in general. This pass is not for you if you are the type of traveler who wants to explore in a calm and relaxing pace.

It does not cover all Paris landmarks – The pass does not cover other Paris Landmarks such as The Eiffel Tower, Opéra Garnier and The Paris Catacombs. You need to pay extra to enter these landmarks.

Pass is not for everyone – The Paris Museum Pass is not valid for those visiting below 18 years old for non-EU nationals and below 26 years old for EU nationals. It may also be not for backpackers or those who are travelling on a budget because it comes with a hefty price. There could also be other passes like the Paris Pass which suits your travelling style.

Tips to Maximize Paris Museum Pass

I want to share with you some tips on how you can maximize your Paris Museum Pass.

Check museum / site opening hours – Some museums and sites have extended operating hours a day every week. For example, Musée du Louvre is open until 9:45pm every Friday compared to the usual 6:00pm closing time on a normal day. On the other hand, Musée d’Orsay extends its opening hours to 9:45pm every Thursday, from the usual 6:00pm on other days. If you have the 48-hour pass and you started it on a Thursday morning, you can visit Musée d’Orsay on Thursday night, Musée du Louvre on Friday night and make time for other museums and sites during the day.

Be aware of museum / site closures – The museums and sites usually have 1 day in a week when they are closed. Musée du Louvre is closed every Tuesday, Musée d’Orsay and Château de Versailles et de Trianon are closed every Monday. Some of them are also closed during Christmas, New Year and other special holidays.

Know which museums and sites require timed-entry reservations – Some museums and sites require Paris Museum Pass holders to book and reserve their visits. These schedules make the pass holder’s visit faster and secured. Sites that require reservations include Château de Versailles et de Trianon, Saint-Chapelle and Musée du Louvre. Please note that pass holders do not need to pay in reserving their slots / schedules.

Plan your itinerary well – Maximize the cost of the Paris Museum Pass by planning your itinerary well. Avoid redeeming the pass during days when some museums are closed; also take advantage of longer museum hours.

Verdict: Is It Worth It?

It is time to answer the most important question. Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it? For the sake of this post, I will make a stand and answer it with a Conditional Yes. It is not an easy ‘yes’ but a conditional one where you will be only be in Paris for a limited time / period and you have a well-planned itinerary to maximize it.

My friend and I planned our itinerary well and used the 48-hour Paris Museum Pass in the following attractions: Saint-Chappelle (€11,50), Musée du Louvre (€17), Musée d’Orsay (€16), Château de Versailles and Trianon Estate (€21,50) and Panthéon (€11,50). We had plans of going up the Arc de Triomphe but we opted to skip it last-minute and met with our friends instead. We only paid €52 each (that time) for the pass and used it in 6 museums and sites that cost €77,50 in total if availed individually. On top of it, we saved tons of time by not queuing in all these attractions.


The Paris Museum Pass is not a cheap investment when visiting Paris but it is something that can be maximized during the availed timeframe. The key to maximizing the pass is knowing which places you want to visit and planning your itinerary well.

What do you think of the Paris Museum Pass? Is it something that caters to you as a traveler? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the pass? Apart from posting it below, you may also send it via e-mail contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Don’t forget to check out my previous posts about Paris – N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 1 & 2], N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 3, 4 & 5], N9 Friends in Europe: CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES Day Trip Photoblog & Hostel of the Day: LE VILLAGE MONTMARTRE BY HIPHOPHOSTELS – Authentic & Affordable Parisian Property in the Artist District.

Thank you for joining me in today’s review. Please watch out for more Europe posts in the coming weeks. Before you go, I hope you can visit, like and follow my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? It means a lot, cheers. See you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.