Let’s talk local AIRLINES

I think Vietnam Airlines is the best, but it has the disadvantage that the check-in luggage is included.
If you only have hand luggage that is a price disadvantage.
I usually fly with Jetstar because the pricing is very flexible. So you can book extra baggage online only a few hours before the flight.
And they have a good support via chat function. I have already used this function several times.
Jetstar is generally on time although they preponed our last flight to Bangkok one hour earlier (informed one day before by SMS and e-mail).
I've also flown with Vietjet a few times, but I can't remember if the flights were delayed.

My favorite airline is Bamboo. Flew from Hanoi to Saigon and back last week. Business class cheap. On time. Excellent service. New fleet. Bamboo doesn't degrade women by parading stewardess in bikinis to sell seats. I hate everything about Vietjet, from the cheesy uniforms to the rude service, to the endless delays.  My friend once saved up for a lifetime trip from Taipei to Hanoi with his wife. He made the mistake of flying Vietjet. They delayed his outbound flight by 7 hours and cancelled his inbound flight and asked him to take the next day flight. Vacation totally messed up. Vietjet is to airlines is what Vincom is to real estate development.

Second choice would be Vietnam Airlines.

I've flown Vietnam Airlines, JetStar and Viet Jet.
If you can get similar price on Vietnam Airlines, I'd take that every time.
If not, the other two low budget airlines are pretty much the same.

In simple terms, they (budget airlines)  keep prices low by  daisey chaining the schedule. So delays accumulate. thru the course of the day and night.
So don't expect any cheap airline to leave or get anyplace on time.

Other than that, they are not so bad and comparable to the cheap carriers of Europe.

I think I've never experienced a flight "on time" with Vietjet Air (no kidding...) (national & international flights)
The only good experience I had with them, was from Bali to HCMC when I was on a wheelchair 'cause of a fracture of my malleolus + moved on skyboss seat.
Support & priority & help was way better than Vietnam Airlines, by far...
But they're pretty cheap for a low-cost company.

I only used JetStar once.
It was ok and on time. I'll try it again soon. Seem fair and correct so far.


But most of the time I go by Vietnam Airlines, the quality is correct/good and mostly because they do include a luggage and are most of the time always on time.

Domestic flights in Vietnam always delay mostly Morning flights arrival and departure on time, after 1 pm delay sometimes delay with ridiculous.  I never select evening flights.

Flew from Saigon to Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines and it was a nice flight, similar to my flight from California to Saigon.

Flew back from Hanoi to Saigon on Jetstar and boy was that a joke of a flight! First, they asked me for the credit card that I used to book the flight with which Vietnam Airlines did not do. I didn't have the credit card with me since I don't use credit card throughout Vietnam so I left it in my wallet back in Saigon so I had to pay for the flight in cash and then they reimbursed my credit card after a couple of months. The flight was cramped, no complimentary drinks or snacks. Worse that Southwest Airlines to Vegas!

If you can avoid it, stay away from Jetstar. I have no experience with Vietjet.

chenwen wrote:

My favorite airline is Bamboo. Flew from Hanoi to Saigon and back last week. Business class cheap. On time. Excellent service. New fleet. Bamboo doesn't degrade women by parading stewardess in bikinis to sell seats. I hate everything about Vietjet, from the cheesy uniforms to the rude service, to the endless delays.  My friend once saved up for a lifetime trip from Taipei to Hanoi with his wife. He made the mistake of flying Vietjet. They delayed his outbound flight by 7 hours and cancelled his inbound flight and asked him to take the next day flight. Vacation totally messed up. Vietjet is to airlines is what Vincom is to real estate development.

Second choice would be Vietnam Airlines.

I agree. VietJet reallly seems cheap also in the way they market themselfs. And lately every person I have talked to had shitty experience.

Vietnam airlines is more expensive and I dont travel woth checked bag, but, I will focus on using them. Regular delay of 1-2 hrs is usually thing I can handle...but mu friend having rescheduled flight from 5pm to 6am, that is bit over the top imo. Without a refund option? I think I am not too far from calling that even a SCAM.

qnbui wrote:

Flew from Saigon to Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines and it was a nice flight, similar to my flight from California to Saigon.

Flew back from Hanoi to Saigon on Jetstar and boy was that a joke of a flight! First, they asked me for the credit card that I used to book the flight with which Vietnam Airlines did not do

I was recently flying in and out of Quy Nhơn (Phù Cát: UIH) frequently.

I had been using my US BANK Mastercard through the Vietnam Airlines app without any problems.

I always carry the card used in my passport wallet because hotels sometimes ask to see the card used for a reservation.

Out of the blue, the Vietnam Airlines agent asked to see the card I'd used, so I fortunately had it readily available.

The day AFTER that trip and two days before my NEXT flight, I got an email from Vietnam Airlines demanding that I present my card before my next flight.

I contacted Vietnam Airlines on Facebook Messenger (always great customer service in English there) and they suggested I go to the official Vietnam Airlines office in Quy Nhơn.

When I checked at their office, it turned out I was supposed to receive that email BEFORE my previous flight; when I was asked to present the card I'd used.

So "No problem!"

EXCEPT...the next time I attempted to use my card in the Vietnam Airlines app, I got to the payment confirmation (where I'm usually redirected to a US Bank/Mastercard confirmation screen to enter the card signature panel code number, zip code and last 5 of my Social Security number) and when I entered the additional data, a screen popped up saying further confirmation was needed, giving me a toll-free number to call, and then the payment was rejected.

Since then I can't use my two US BANK credit cards (VISA or Mastercard) in the Vietnam Airlines app.

I can walk into their ticket office and make a POS purchase (for an extra fee and at the loss of double miles for booking online) but I can't use it anywhere online in Vietnam anymore.

It turns out the problem is my use of a VOIP phone number (Google Talk) in The States.

US BANK won't accept the number into their system as my "mobile" number, even though they continue to use it for text alerts.

It turns out it was US BANK that flagged my transaction originating in Vietnam.

I hear this is becoming fairly common, so it seems a good idea to always bring along the card I use for online ticket purchases, just in case.

qnbui wrote:

Flew from Saigon to Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines and it was a nice flight, similar to my flight from California to Saigon.

Flew back from Hanoi to Saigon on Jetstar and boy was that a joke of a flight! First, they asked me for the credit card that I used to book the flight with which Vietnam Airlines did not do. I didn't have the credit card with me since I don't use credit card throughout Vietnam so I left it in my wallet back in Saigon so I had to pay for the flight in cash and then they reimbursed my credit card after a couple of months. The flight was cramped, no complimentary drinks or snacks. Worse than Southwest Airlines to Vegas!

If you can avoid it, stay away from Jetstar. I have no experience with Vietjet.

Oh really? This was never caused to me. I often travel and My company book for ticks.

qnbui wrote:

If you can avoid it, stay away from Jetstar.

You do?

I can only say positive about Jetstar.

I booked flights between Saigon Bangkok and Singapore some time ago but couldn't use them because something has cropped up.
I postponed those flights 3 times until it worked and I could use them.
Everything online. Some flights postponed for free and some flights postponed for a few dollars (maximum 8 dollars).

Tell me another no-frills airline where this is also possible.

Some of your guys are really funny.

For the same price of a 20 hour train ride on a wooden bench seat I can fly to DaNang for Tet on the cheap airlines, with Vietnam Airlines trying to be competitive much of the time.

You want to leave on time, take the train!!

If not leaving from airport in which the plane and crew are based, the European LCC's exact same issues.

qnbui wrote:

...  First, they asked me for the credit card that I used to book the flight with which Vietnam Airlines did not do. I didn't have the credit card with me since I don't use credit card throughout Vietnam so I left it in my wallet back in Saigon so I had to pay for the flight in cash ...

Never flew Vietjet, not a Vietjet-exclusive policy. I have flown many different airlines. Very common for the counter agent to ask for my credit card. Even more common with hotel reservations. I would never leave the credit card home, I see it as a lifeline in case 'something happens'.