Review of Vietnam Airlines flight from Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City in Economy

Vietnam Airlines VN978 Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City

Flight details:
Airline: Vietnam Airlines
Flight: VN978 BOM - SGN
Reg: VN-A503
Aircraft: Airbus A321-272N
Departure Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 Gate 69A: 11.10PM [Actual time: 12.43AM]
Arrival Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport Terminal Remote Bay: 06.00AM [Actual time: 07.23AM]
Total time: 5hrs 20mins

Video: Vietnam Airlines VN978 Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City

Introduction

This trip report is from Jun 2024.
After spending few weeks in Mumbai, it was time to return back to Sydney.
This report covers the journey from Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City.
Read the previous flight here: Vietnam Airlines VN979 Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai

Pre-Departure

I had booked the itinerary as below:

During booking process, selected seat for this flight.

Mumbai to Sydney - 1 carry-on bag and 1 checked bag

Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321 information from Airline website.

Online Check-in

Prior to departure, I completed check-in for the flight.

Check-in completed.

Option to send boarding pass by email.

Digital boarding pass on completion

I checked flightradar24 before leaving for airport, aircraft information was not available.

Arriving at Airport

I booked a Ola cab at 8.00pm for the 11.05pm flight as the traffic is heavy during evening peak.

Took about an hour to reach airport from Eastern suburbs, 20mins just on WEH from Kalina-Vakola Flyover, Golibar to International airport tunnel.

Arrived at airport by 9.15 pm.Vietnam Airlines was listed in Gate 5. Paid the taxi driver and took bag from the cab.

Terminal Entry

CISF used scanner to read ticket details and compare with passport on screen.

Checked the Check-in counter alphabet, it was J.

Check-In

I had checked online.  Had to drop bag.

When I arrived 2 hours before departure, no queue at check-in. Ground staff was a newbie.

Bag was weighed, which was underweight. He gave me, Vietnam airlines tag for handbag.
He issued boarding passes for all the flights. I conversed with him in Marathi, when he spoke English.

I had applied for Vietnam visa online through the official portal. I was issued visa in 4 days. Provided scan of passport and uploaded digital photo.

Vietnam Visa

There are fake websites for Vietnam e-visa. Below is correct link if your country passport can apply online.

https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/en_US/web/guest/home

Have to pay in US$ for the visa.

Ground staff checked if I had Vietnam visa, I showed the printed out and he was fine.

He asked supervisor and then informed me to clear immigration and collect bag at HCMC. I had done my research and  knew the procedure but let him explain it.

Security and Immigration

To enter security area, one has to scan the boarding pass. No queue, I had my things arranged well and had no issues clearing security.

Immigration had a short queue, I didn't have to wait long for my turn. I handed the OCI and passport. Officer asked me to look at camera, photo taken. Passport stamped and allowed in the departure area.

Departure area

After clearing immigration, I was in the departure area within 20 mins of arriving at the airport.

I had nothing to buy and continued walking.

 As I don't have local number, checked the new WiFi voucher machine.

Got connected to network and updated concerned individuals.

Food court in departure area

I had dinner before coming to airport and skipped the food court.

Decided to head towards the departure gate.

Boarding gate was near the escalator, didn't have to walk much.

Waiting area

Passengers were demography - mostly Indian tourist travelling as part of tour group. A group of 3 connecting to Shanghai with a 1.5hrs transit. Passengers were already seated near gate. The tour group had 10-15 members.

Notice the guy in white, probably 1st timer from around Pune. Someone with typical mentality of poking nose in other people's business.
Read further for more details.

Walked for few minutes around the waiting area.

Aircraft had arrived on time.

Aircraft information

Checked the aircraft information on Airfleets website.

Boarding

Boarding commenced on time, Ground crew called passengers by membership, business and then rows.

Seated in the rear was called soon to board. I had the same guy who had checked me in, he scanned my boarding pass, smiled and wished me off.

Glass aerobridge

Boarding pass checked near aircraft board and was allowed to continue.

Onboard

Crew on board, all Vietnamese - All male and 1 female for economy class.

I reached my seat, got organised for the flight. I wanted to rest enough as I had 13hrs in HCMC.

My row was empty.

The guy in white and his partner were seated behind me. In front was a group of 3 who were flying to Shanghai with a 1.5hr transit in HCM.

Seat pocket content

I removed content from the seat pocket and placed them on the tray.

Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321 safety card

Pillow and blanket

Heritage - Inflight magazine and streaming IFE information

Cabin service

Crew distributed water and wet wipe to passengers

Water bottle

Not much legroom

I read the Inflight magazine while waiting for pushback to commence.

Article

Read the article. Cabin crew welcomed the passengers.

Delayed departure

Boarding was completed on time, this is where the Captain announced delay of 1hr due to bad weather in Mumbai.

The guys in front checked with the crew how they would continue. I heard the crew inform them, the next flight might wait or they would be accommodated on next available flight.

I knew already they weren't gonna make it as it would be impossible to transit in such short time. Even if they reach on time, the bag will not be able to make it on the connecting flight.

I didn't get involved. Just listened to their conversations. This where the white t-shirt guy went and spoke to the crew regarding the delay.

I tired to sleep but the guy and his partner started to sing. The guys in front started to make phone calls. I had interrupted sleep.

It got very windy and then started to rain heavy and followed by drizzle.

Video: Heavy rain at Mumbai Airport

Waiting for pushback,

Pushback and taxi

Time passed and Captain informed pushback would commence.

Saw Etihad and Emirates pushback, followed by Vietnam Airlines. Queue formed on the taxiway as arrival and departures were delayed..

The couple behind me, organised their sleeping arrangement. The women slept in the row behind and the guy took the empty seats in the row opposite mine, while the aircraft taxied. Crew had conducted the safety check and asked them to seat for the takeoff. As the crew was seated, the guy arranged blanked and slept without seat belt during takeoff. I didn't see what the women did.

Video: Inflight view

Departure from Mumbai

Captain had informed takeoff would be a  bumpy ascend, yet the passenger didn't put belt when seat belt sign was turned on.

Flight took off from runway 27-09, heading West over the Arabian sea, then turned North East.

Flight information

Information was displayed on the drop down screen or streamed on personal device.

Flight route

Timezones

Flight location

Close up

Information in Vietnamese

Distance

Flying over Maharashtra

Towns and cities of state of Maharashtra.

Cabin Service - Supper

Inflight view, Crew made announcement, supper would be served.

Crew bought out the trolley.

Crew serving meals

Flight information in English

Dinner service started 30 mins after departure.

Arrival information, flight delayed by an hour.

Meal presentation

Supper - mutton, daal with rice,appetizer - sev chaat and fruit pieces.

Drinks was offered, I chose beer.

After supper, light was turned off. I raised the seat dividers and stretched to sleep.

Turbulence during flight

Seat belt sign was turned on due to monsoon, the flight was bumpy over India and also close to Thailand over Bay of Bengal.

I had to get up when the seat belt sign was on and sat till the sign was switched off.

Some passengers got up to use the toilet even though the seatbelt sign was on. I wondered how these people are so lax about safety and treat flying like travelling on a bus. I don't understand this behaviour, have noticed on these tourist flights, when seatbelt sign is on or there is some cabin service. People get up to use toilet causing disruption to the service.

Cabin view

I had interrupted seat, woke in morning to use the toilet.

Pilot announced descend would commence shortly. Crew conducted checks and cleared the rubbish.

Seat view

Flying over Vietnam

Cabin announcement was made for cabin crew. Crew then stood in aisle to thank the passengers by bowing.

Vietnam tourism promotion on drop down screen.

Descend in progress.

On approach

Landing in 5 mins.

On approach, the guy behind again moved from assigned seat to the empty row opposite mine. As HCM is expanding terminal, no enough boarding gates at the terminal.

View of HCMC

Landing on runway 25L-07R

Taxi to parking bay

Flap up for braking

As HCM is expanding terminal, no enough boarding gates at the terminal. New terminal under-construction.

Window view of Vietjet's

Aircraft parked in remote bay.

This was same bay where the Mumbai flight was parked for the outbound flight.

Crew announced deboarding through stairs. 

Aircraft parked in remote bay, deboarding through stairs. I got on the bus near the door being one of the last to board.

Ground staff asked the passengers to board. The guy's partner was waiting at the tarmac as the guy was on board talking to the crew on the aircraft regarding the connection and delay. This delayed the bus departure.

As they got a spot next to me, I heard him say "Apun जैसे राजा के लिए दुनिया रुकी हुई है". I just wanted to give him a reality check with a mouthful, held back knowing that I had few minutes to tolerate these types

Immigration

I was entering Vietnam and had got the visa online through the Vietnam Immigration e-visa portal. Visa took me 4 days and received email, which one has to print and show at immigration on arrival.

Line took 10 mins, again the couple came and stood behind me. I heard their conversation while waiting in the queue. When my turn came, I showed the visa print, passport and the onwards boarding passes. No question were asked, Entry was stamped.

Baggage claim

I then took escalator to the ground floor.

Checked the belt number.

When I reached the belt, bag had arrived and was kept in rows. Collected bag and exited through the green channel for nothing to declare.

Exiting Arrival Terminal

I was outside arrival terminal by 8a.m.

I then went towards right, looking for locker room, which is before the Burger King.

Direction for locker room.

Locker room

I stored my bag till 5pm. Paid Vietnam Dong 240,000 [India - ₹ 787.44, Aud - $14.24] for less than 10 hrs

After leaving the bag, I decided to explore the arrival area.

City tour and mobile sim counters outside the arrival area.

Waiting area for greeters

Greeters gallery

I took the escalator to the greeters gallery

View of baggage claim. I was able to connect to the free wi-fi in the greeters gallery.

Flight schedule

I had checked the bus information online and found the bus 109 in orange colour, parked outside the terminal.

Video: Bus 109 Ride from Ho Chi Minh City Airport to District 1 - Ben Thanh Market

I had issue conversing the bus conductor as she spoke in Vietnamese and the google translate wouldn't work offline.

Sorted out by asking the man seated near the bus. I didn't have specific place on must see list, I told conductor through the man to inform me when bus reaches a tourist spot.

Bus dropped me to Ben Thanh Market, ticket cost VN dong 15,000 [India - ₹ 49.21, Aud .89c ] for a 45 minute ride to district 1 in the city centre.

Video: Ho Chi Minh City Tourist Walking Exploration

It was a hot and humid day, I walked 13kms and enjoyed the seafood, which was cheap.

I bought a Hop on Hop off bus tour ticket from Saigon Post office ticket counter.

Video: Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Flight, aircraft and route information

Delayed flight.

Flight information

Video: Vietnam Airlines VN978 Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh City route

Vietnam Airlines VN-A503 aircraft rotation information

End of trip

Hope you enjoyed this trip report.

Thanks for reading and watching the video.

:)