I flew on Vietnam's award-winning budget airline known for its bikini-clad flight attendants 3 times in one week, and it was an emotional rollercoaster
Before we get started on what my flight was actually like, here is a shot from a Vietjet YouTube video of the promised bikinis, to give you an idea of what I thought might be in store.
Instead, my first Vietjet flight started in a more boring manner — checking in at Seoul's Incheon International Airport.
I had bought my economy ticket to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam online for just $84. However, with optional add-ons like seat placement ($11), food ($5), and a 20 kg bag ($24), as well as fees such as an "airport tax" and "fuel surcharge," the actual total was $195.
My roller suitcase qualifies as a carry-on for most airlines, fitting in the overhead compartment. However, it far exceeded the 7 kg limit for Vietjet carry-on items.
The employee who checked me in told me to wait nearby for five minutes for my checked baggage to be cleared. I waited for five minutes, didn't hear anyone calling my name, and decided I was probably okay to head toward my gate.
I sped through security and headed to Vietjet's gates via shuttle train.
I even had time to get some very tasty bibimbap before boarding my flight.
I did not hear the call to line up to board the flight. However, seemingly out of nowhere, everyone started forming an orderly line, so I joined the queue.
Coronavirus concerns meant that everyone working at the airport and most flyers were wearing surgical masks.
It was a speedy boarding process.
Because I spent $11 to select a premium seat, I was in the second row of the flight, right in front of the "Sky Boss" branding. Sky Boss is Vietjet's premium ticket, which includes perks like food and beverage service, seats in the front of the plane, and a free checked bag.
There was plenty of legroom at the front of the plane. As you can see, I brought my own Lysol wipes.
From my window, I caught a glimpse of another Vietjet plane. The airline has some pretty aggressive branding, including the Vietjet.com website written on the airplane's tail.
The flight attendants were not wearing bikinis. Instead, they had snazzy red and plaid uniforms.
As we waited for takeoff, two songs played on repeat: Fiona Fung's "Proud of You" and Michael Jackson's "Heal the World." For reasons beyond my understanding, these were the only two songs that played.
My flight was more than half empty. Since most people didn't pay extra for a seat in the front of the plane, it was just me and an off-duty pilot in my row.
Enthused about my empty row and copious legroom, I fell asleep before the plane even took off. I woke up about an hour into my five and a half-hour flight and decided to check out the reading materials.
While Vietjet's in-flight magazine was mediocre, its "Sky Shop" was downright fascinating.
The cafe section offered a sizable list of meals flyers can order on their flight.
There was an extensive array of options, drawing from various cuisines.
I already preordered the nasi lemak for $5, mostly because I had never seen the Malaysian dish on an in-flight menu before.
Flight attendants, who were zooming down the aisle with impressive efficiency, dropped off my meal in some brightly colored packaging.
I do not claim to be an expert in Malaysian cuisine. However, in the category of airplane food — an area where I have a bit more expertise — Vietjet's version of nasi lemak did not rank highly.
Everything was a bit rubbery and overcooked, without much flavor beyond a vague fishiness. At least it was only $5.
Moving on from my half-eaten dish, I decided to see what other deals Vietjet might have.
I purchased an iced Vietnamese coffee, which was perfectly passable. I paid 3,000 won, or $2.53, eager to use up my South Korean currency.
Vietjet sells many items beyond food.
I'm not entirely sure why this budget airline sells so much stuff aimed at kids, but at least they got cute baby models.
If you're jealous of these children and their Vietjet branded gear, never fear! The airline also sells various apparel and travel gear.
Again, I'm not really sure who is buying this stuff. But, the guy in the $9 polo shirt looked pretty jazzed about it.
The catalog also had an entire section featuring passengers talking about how much they love Vietjet.
Feeling caffeinated and pretty pro-Vietjet myself at that point, I decided to explore the bathroom. It was a tolerable and unremarkable setup, with the exception of the leaf-covered wallpaper, which I found delightful.
It was a pretty long walk from the bathroom in the back of the plane to aisle two. Upon arriving in my seat, I promptly passed out for the rest of the flight.
We landed in Ho Chi Minh City about a half-hour behind schedule. The flight attendants donned their jaunty hats, and we headed into the hot sun.
I was feeling good about Vietjet as I boarded the bus that took us to Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The food wasn't great, but it was so cheap! When an opportunity arose later to shoot some luxury resort footage on Phú Quốc, I booked with Vietjet.
We booked a round trip flight for just 1,233,600 Vietnamese dong — or $53 — each. The plan was to head to Phú Quốc on Saturday morning on a 9:45 am flight, and head back to Ho Chi Minh City in the evening on a 6:05 pm flight.
The flight once again started with back-to-back-to-back Fiona Fung's "Proud of You" and Michael Jackson's "Heal the World." This flight was a bit grimier, and the pages of the catalog are completely stuck together.
But, it only took one hour — just as promised. It is hard to complain much about a speedy flight to a surprisingly classy island airport.
However, on my third Vietjet flight in five days, things started to go wrong. When we arrived at Phú Quốc International Airport at 5 pm, we discovered that our flight has been delayed by two hours — a delay that Vietjet did not tell us about, despite a number of emails from the airline.
A Vietjet representative blamed the delay on technical difficulties with the plane. We were not allowed to check in until after 6 p.m., so we decided to head to a fishing village 15 minutes away to pass the time.
When we told the taxi driver who took us to the village about our situation, he laughed. "Vietjet is terrible," he said. "Always delayed."
I headed back to the airport at 6:30, convinced that my first two flights were a fluke and my luck had run out. The dead Vietjet kiosks didn't give me much hope.
Vietjet briefly won me back with a meal voucher and then lost me again when I realized the meal voucher is for 25,000 dong, or about $1. Beers are cheap at the airport, but that isn't even enough to buy a full one. I put the voucher towards buying a tasty $5 bowl of pho.
Miraculously, we boarded a plane completely free of Vietjet branding at 9 pm. The flight was three hours behind schedule. But, at that point, I was not complaining.
There was no pre-takeoff Michael Jackson on this flight. The flight attendants clearly did not work for Vietjet and the plane had to circle Ho Chi Minh City for more than half an hour prior to landing. But, it did finally land at around 10:20 pm.
Three flights, one delay, and one taxi driver's negative review later, I would still book another Vietjet flight — especially if I really want to save money.
At its best, Vietjet is a bare-bones but enjoyable experience. You can buy an extremely cheap ticket, and Vietjet's website makes it easy to book your flight and check-in online. You'll end up paying more than what you originally hoped for if you have any sort of bag or want to buy a coffee, but these add-ons aren't too expensive.
If I had a connecting flight or an important meeting, I'm not sure if I would trust Vietjet to get me there on time. And I'm still slightly offended by the $1 meal voucher, not to mention the mixed messages in its bikini-clad flight attendant marketing.
But, if you have a flexible schedule and you want a slightly quirky, super-cheap flight in Vietnam, Vietjet is a good pick. Hopefully you like Fiona Fung's "Proud of You" and Michael Jackson's "Heal the World," because you'll be hearing a lot of them.
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement