Vietnam Airlines B777-200ER (Config 1) Business

With a fabulous Cabin Crew and tasty, delicious food, the disappointing ordeal of being greeted with a Business Class seating format I first experienced on Delta Airlines back in the late 90’s was somewhat compensated. The B777 – 200ER was ‘old’.

Basically the seats decline [approx 70 degrees] intruding into the space of those sat behind, hence when those passengers depart their seats during the flight, the inadvertantly lean on your seat and unknowingly disturb accordingly.

Like many fellow readers, the biggest problem travelling Business over the years means, being spoilt with the likes of Etihad, Emirates, Lufthansa, BA, Virgin etc., thus expecting when paying the extra for a Business seat, an uptodate one is provided, or at least not one that appears to be two decades old.

On closer examination of seats 2A & 2C, the cleanliness was also, what appeared to be ‘old’, with sticky and spilt items under the tray tables and within the tray and TV compartments. As for the entertainment, well, very limited choice.

Not sure if Vietnam Airlines will take take heed of this constructive observation, but if they wish to be a competitive and global player on the London – Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City [Saigon] routes, they are going to have to step up to providing a much better Business Class or reduce fares that would much better be matched to a so called Superior Premium Economy.

Luckily on this flight, with a tail wind and the reaching of speeds in excess of 700, the flight was quicker.

Finally, on reaching Hanoi at 5.30 in the morning on 11 January, though one of the first off the aircraft, it was one and a half hours before I and the majority of the passengers received luggage. Asking for a reason for the delay? Very stern airport officials told everyone they must wait and there were NO problems.

Amazingly, I noticed the airport shops were selling B787 model kits. Is Vietnam obtaining the Dreamliner? It appears it told the industry in 2009 it was but looking at the outstanding Boeing orders – no mention of Vietnam Airlines having any orders.

Conclusion- if you can obtain a great Business Class deal, then great. Otherwise your money and comfort would be better with others.