I tried those $199 flights to Vietnam … here’s what it’s really like

Low-cost airline Vietjet launched with a bang into the Australian market, offering $199 flights from Australia to Vietnam. So what’s it actually like on this cheap-as-chips carrier?

Fun fact: it’s currently cheaper to book a flight to Vietnam than many domestic destinations in Australia.

Vietjet has been established in Asia for a while, but they only launched into the Australian market last year and has rapidly expanded the cities they fly in and out of.

They now have flights to and from Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

But as we all know, sometimes flights on budget airlines can be a slog.

So I jumped on board to see whether it’s the bargain of the century, or hell in a tin can in the sky …

Let's see what Vietjet from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh is all about ...

Their premium economy has the very baller name ‘Sky Boss’, and that is what I flew

The difference between this and regular economy is you get a higher baggage allowance, an amenities kit, there’s a little more leg room between rows, and two meals with drinks are included. You also get priority check-in and access to the lounge.

That’s lovely, but what is included in those super cheap fares?

Often sale fares lie to you, and you get stung with extra taxes, airport fees and surcharges when you go to pay. Vietjet is refreshing in that regard - those $199 flights to Ho Chi Minh include all taxes and fees.  You will probably have to pay extra for baggage, as the allowance on the sale fares is one 7kg carry on bag (with an extra personal item of 2kg).

Check-In

As we were flying SkyBoss we were able to use the priority check-in queue, but we did stand at the front of this queue for half an hour while staff dealt with issues with other passengers. Unfortunately the check-in process couldn’t be described as smooth / seamless.

Food

There are some dishes on the in-flight menu that will be familiar to western palettes (Singapore Noodles! Spaghetti Bolognese!), and some more traditional Vietnamese dishes for those wanting to get a little more adventurous …

Vietnamese steamed cake with pork floss.

Our meal came with a single boiled egg in a foil cup. If anyone has any tips on how to break the shell of a boiled egg on a flimsy airline tray table, please get in touch. I was considering trying to break it on the cabin wall, but felt like I might end up on @passengershaming

The boiled egg that defeated me.

The meals were actually pretty good. The Singapore Noodles and Thai fried rice were very serviceable.

Not entirely sure what the meat on the right was, but it tasted good.

The MVP on the tray was definitely the condiments. Those little sachets of MSG-laden hot sauce and soy sauce do a lot of heavy lifting flavour-wise. But it works.

All hail the hot sauce and soy.

The white wine hailed from Portugal and was served slightly warmer than a lukewarm cuppa.

Entertainment

Nothing provided. You’ll need to come armed with your own. Be sure to download movies on your own device before you depart.

Amenities kit

In SkyBoss we got a red log of an amenities kit with a blow-up neck pillow, eye mask, and a blankie. The amenities kit can be purchased for $US11.50 in economy.

All this could be yours.

On board service / experience

The cabin was clean and the crew were super friendly. Their outfits are also cute as hell. Who knew that a red / check combo like this could pop?

It's got a camp counsellor vibe to it, and we're into it.

Only criticism - there were no overhead air vents that you could control, and it did get uncomfortably warm in the cabin.

Onboard merch

10/10

No notes.

Was it an on-time departure?

Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10.15am and we ended up taking off around 11am. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh 20 minutes behind scheduled arrival time.

Seat selection tips on Vietjet

The aircraft that flies between Australia and Vietnam is the A330. It might seem savvy to book a seat in the front row of the cabin (which does offer extra legroom and powerpoints), but keep in mind that the armrests in this row are fixed and don’t lift up. As such, if you are lucky enough to score “poor man’s business class” (ie the whole row to yourself), you won’t be able to lift the armrests to lie down flat. But that isn’t really a problem on a day time flight when you’re staying awake

The seats in the front row of the cabin. No laying down here.

Safety

I am always mildly concerned that a budget airline is more likely to fall out of the sky, but VietJet holds a seven-star rating, which is the highest you can achieve.

What were the other passengers like?

Well behaved - nobody that we wanted to throw out of the emergency exit at 33,000 feet.

What’s the flight time?

9ish hours

Is it worth upgrading on Vietjet?

At the pointy end of the plane is SkyBoss business, which has flat lay seats. The airline is currently offering 50 per cent off both SkyBoss and SkyBoss Business seats. The flights back to Australia tend to be red eye (eg leaving Ho Chi Minh at night and arriving in Australia at around 7am) so it would be worth taking advantage of this deal to get a flat-lay bed so you can sleep on that crushing return flight. But economy on the way to Vietnam (which tends to be a daytime flight where you stay awake), is just fine.

So would I recommend VietJet?

Yes. Absolutely. $199 is a price you can’t argue with. And once you get there, Vietnam is absolute heaven.

For any Aussie travellers who have been to Bali and Thailand and are looking for a new Asian getaway - with a reasonably short flight time that won’t cause jetlag and young children to have full-body meltdowns - this is a cracking option.

Get on board.

Simone Mitchell travelled as a guest of Vietjet.

Originally published as I tried those $199 flights to Vietnam … here’s what it’s really like