Content includes:
1/ International airports
2/ Airlines: Vietnam Airlines; Vietjet Air (My pick); Air Mekong
2/ Airlines: Vietnam Airlines; Vietjet Air (My pick); Air Mekong
3/ Airport bus: Saigon airport bus
Hanoi airport bus
Vietnam’s first ever sleep pods unveiled at Hanoi airport
4/ Hanoi - Halong bay seaplane service
5/ Today News
Hanoi airport bus
Vietnam’s first ever sleep pods unveiled at Hanoi airport
4/ Hanoi - Halong bay seaplane service
5/ Today News
1/ International Airports
At present, there are five international airports in Vietnam.
At present, there are five international airports in Vietnam.
Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat airport is Vietnam’s busiest international air hub and is the choice for those concentrating on Southen Vietnam.
Can Tho international airport is the newest one and is the choice for those concentrating on Mekong delta, the world of water and rowing boats, Vietnam’s rice basket and tropical fruit kingdom…
Hanoi’s Noi Bai international airport is the second biggest one and is the choice for those who concentrate on Northern Vietnam with Hanoi, a 1000- year capital, and Ha Long bay, the world wonder of nature
Danang international airport is the third largest one in the country and is the choice for those concentrating on Central Vietnam which is famous for world cultural heritages: Hue ancient citadel, Hoi An ancient town and My Son ancient towers
Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh international airport is the choice for those who concentrate on Vietnam beaches. Famous ones are: Nha Trang beach city, Phan Rang -Ninh Chu beach, Phu Yen beach, Quy Nhon beach…
Phu Quoc airport is a new international airport and is the choice for those love spending time on beautiful beach island with primary forest and crystal blue water.
Most mentioned airports are 30 – 45 minutes from the center of city.
2/ Airlines
* Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines (www.vietnamairlines.com) is the state-owned flag carrier. While the air industry just opens to individual in Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines is still the big brother on Vietnam blue sky. It has domestic flights to all main tourisst destinations.
The majority of flights into and out of Vietnam are joint operarions between Vietnam Airlines and foreign operators.
Daily international flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia), Vientiane and Luang Prabang (Laos) with quite high prices. Instead, many tourists choose border crossing bys bus (see Bus)
Daily international flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia), Vientiane and Luang Prabang (Laos) with quite high prices. Instead, many tourists choose border crossing bys bus (see Bus)
The level of service on its international flights has been improving to catch up with its rivals. But many passengers feel that the air attendants should know how to smile.
On domestic flights, delay and cancellations are still possible.
Price: has increased sharply since the end of 2011, making return economy ticket Saigon – Hanoi (on 8 August 2012) is almost 5,720,000 VND ( almost 280 USD); Saigon – Danang 4,004,000 VND (almost 200 USD)…
Check and book flights at www.vietnamairlines.com
Contact:
Head quarter: 200 Nguyen Son street, Bo De ward, Long Bien district, Hanoi. Tel: (84-4) 38 320 320
Saigon office telephone: (84-8) 38 320 320
Danang office telephone: (84-511) 3832 320
Vietnam Airlines uses Airbus 320/321 to fly widely around South East Asia and Hong Kong, China and domestic flights. Airbus 320/321of 150 ~184 seating capacity.
* Vietjet air (My pick for flying in Vietnam and to Bangkok Thailand)
Newest comer, budget airline, has domestic flights to Sai Gon, Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang, Dalat and international flight to Bangkok from Saigon and Hanoi
Air attendants speak English quite well. They are friendly, dynamic and some are really professional.
I had comfortable seats on flights from Sai Gon to Danang and Sai Gon to Hanoi with them in June and September 2012.
The return economy ticket Saigon – Hanoi and other destinations are much more cheaper than Vietnam Airlines. My one way economy ticket Sai Gon - Hanoi on 11th September 2012 was almost 68USD
Check vietjetair.com for booking and promotion
Air attendants speak English quite well. They are friendly, dynamic and some are really professional.
I had comfortable seats on flights from Sai Gon to Danang and Sai Gon to Hanoi with them in June and September 2012.
The return economy ticket Saigon – Hanoi and other destinations are much more cheaper than Vietnam Airlines. My one way economy ticket Sai Gon - Hanoi on 11th September 2012 was almost 68USD
Check vietjetair.com for booking and promotion
Contact:
Hotline: 1900 1886
Saigon office: 8Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te street, District 3. Tel: +84 8 3827 0123 Fax: +84 8 3822 3815
Danang office: Indochina building, 74 Bach Dang street, Hai Chau district. Tel: +84 511 381 0123 Fax: +84 511 381 0124
Air attendant. Pic: vietjetair.com
* Air Mekong
New comer of Vietnam air industry. First flight on 15 August 2010.
It has domestic flights to Hanoi, Saigon, Phu Quoc island, Con Dao island, Da Lat city, Pleiku city, Buon Me Thuoc city , Quy Nhon city and Vinh city.
The return economy ticket Saigon – Hanoi and other destinations are cheaper than Vietnam Airlines. My one way economy ticket Hanoi - Sai Gon on 6th October 2012 was almost 90USD
Small airplanes with really small seats. I didnt feel comfortable on flight Hanoi - Sai Gon which had transit in Buon Ma Thuoc city. Departed at 8:30AM, arrived in Buon Ma Thuoc at 10:00AM then continued to Sai Gon and arrived almost 10:35AM
Air attendants and even pilots need to be trained to be more professional (Well, a pilot on my flight just seating beside a passenger, reading and paying no attention at all the guests passing by. He looked really cold)
Small airplanes with really small seats. I didnt feel comfortable on flight Hanoi - Sai Gon which had transit in Buon Ma Thuoc city. Departed at 8:30AM, arrived in Buon Ma Thuoc at 10:00AM then continued to Sai Gon and arrived almost 10:35AM
Air attendants and even pilots need to be trained to be more professional (Well, a pilot on my flight just seating beside a passenger, reading and paying no attention at all the guests passing by. He looked really cold)
Check and book flights at: www.airmekong.com.vn
Contact:
Hanoi office: 2nd floor, Syrena tower, 51 Xuan Dieu street, Tay Ho district. Tel: 04-37186 399
Saigon office: ground floor, Centre Point tower, 106 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan district. Tel: 08-38 463 999
Quy Nhon office: 72 Le Duan, Quy Nhon city. Tel: 0563-629985
Pic: Airmekong.com.vn
3/ Airport bus
Saigon airport bus
The
Tan Son Nhat domestic airport is just beside Tan Son Nhat international
airport. In front of this domestic terminal, there are public buses
running to center of Saigon city. You can get off at Ben Thanh station
(opposite Ben Thanh market) or De Tham station (on Tran Hung Dao street), the backpacker area of
Saigon.
Bus number: 152
Bus capacity: 55 seats
Bus capacity: 55 seats
Time: 6:00AM – 6:00PM
Bus from Tan Son Nhat to De Tham station takes about 30 mintues if no
traffic jam. (6:30AM – 7:30AM and 5:00PM – 6:30PM are rush hours in the
city. You may spend 1 hour on bus from and to airport - De
Tham)
Price: 4,000VND (under 31km)
Air conditioner: Yes. But sometimes it is really weak.
Itinerary:
Tan Son Nhat airport - Truong Son - Tran Quoc Hoan - Hoang Van Thu - Nguyen Van
Troi - Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa - Nguyễn Đình Chiểu - Cách Mạng Tháng Tám -
Phạm Hồng Thái - Lê Lai - Bến Thành station - Trần Hưng
Đạo (De Tham station, backpacker area) - Nguyễn Văn Cừ - Dương Bá Trạc - đường 9A - Khu dân cư Trung Sơn
Pictures:
Hanoi airport bus
Just outside of Hanoi's Noi Bai international airport, there are public buses running to the Old Quarter of Hanoi. It takes about 1hour and you can get off at Long Bien station (near Long Bien bridge). From this station, its just a some 7-minute walk to Luong Ngoc Quyen street of Old Quarter. From Old Quarter to Noi Bai airport, come to Long Bien bus station to get on the bus.
Bus number 17: Long Bien - Noi Bai airport
Travel time: over 1 hour
Ticket: 5,000VND with air-conditioned
Note: There are green electric cars running between Noi Bai airport and bus station of airport. Its just a 3-minute drive. Ticket: 5,000VND. Otherwise, you have to walk out of Noi Bai, cross the street to bus station of airport.
Long Bien bridge
Bus number 17: Long Bien - Noi Bai airport
Vietnam’s first ever sleep pods unveiled at Hanoi airport
Photo credit: Thanhniennews
Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport has become the very
first terminal in Vietnam to provide sleep pods to serve passengers of
delayed or canceled flights.
Fourteen sleep pods, consisting of three single rooms and 11 double
rooms, were unveiled on Tuesday at the departure terminal of the airport
by the Vietnam Aviation Tourism Corp (VATC).
The four-square-meter pods are 3m high and equipped with amenities
including a bed, wardrobe, telephone and even WiFi connection,
functioning as quick places of refuge for passengers awaiting their
flights.
Customers of the sleep pods will be treated to free water and snacks by the VATC.
The pods cost VND210,000 (US$9.88) for single rooms, and VND252,000
($11.86) for doubles, to use for the first three hours. The next three
hours cost VND180,000 ($8.47) and VND215,000 ($10) for single and double
rooms, respectively.
The full-day rate is VND1.53 million ($72) for single rooms, and VND1.83 million ($86) for doubles.
The VATC is offering a 20 percent discount to mark the inauguration of the service.
While sleep pods are common at many international airports, this is the
first time the modern facilities have been put to use at a Vietnamese
terminal.
(http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/21153/vietnams-first-ever-sleep-pods-unveiled-at-hanoi-airport)
4/ Hanoi - Halong bay seaplane service
Fly through the heart of Halong Bay and venture deep inside the Gulf of Tonkin for panoramic views over this UNESCO World Heritage Site
Hai Au Aviation has just launched seaplane flight service between Hanoi and the world famous Ha Long Bay.
Luong Hoai Nam, director of the airline, told the Saigon
Times news website Wednesday that each flight is about 30 minutes long,
compared to a car ride that lasts three to four hours, while allowing
passengers to view landscapes from the height of 150-3,000 meters.
Besides sightseeing tours, the airline, which is owned by
Thien Minh Group and Focus Travel Group, will also provide services like
air taxi and customized flights, the newspaper reported.
Aircrafts
Hai Au's Cessna Caravan C208 EX aircrafts are
2014 models and registered VN-B468 and VN-B469.
The Caravan is the largest single-engine
float plane currently manufactured and has proven itself to be one of
the most reliable, cost effective and, most importantly, safest aircraft
ever built. The amphibious floats offer the ultimate in flexibility and
allow to fly to any suitable water or runway landing area.
General Characteristics
Crew: Two pilots
Capacity: 12 passengers
Length: 12.67m (42ft)
Wingspan: 15.9m (52ft)
Height: 5 m (16ft)
Empty: 2810kg (6180lb)
Loaded: 4119kg (9062lb)
Useful load: 1309kg (2880lb)
Powerplant: 1 PT6A- 140, 867hp (720 kW)
Cruise speed: 260 km/h
Crew: Two pilots
Capacity: 12 passengers
Length: 12.67m (42ft)
Wingspan: 15.9m (52ft)
Height: 5 m (16ft)
Empty: 2810kg (6180lb)
Loaded: 4119kg (9062lb)
Useful load: 1309kg (2880lb)
Powerplant: 1 PT6A- 140, 867hp (720 kW)
Cruise speed: 260 km/h
Select your flight and Fare
News and photo credit:
(http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/new-airline-said-to-focus-on-seaplane-services-27152.html)
(http://dulich.tuoitre.vn/tin/20140909/khai-truong-dich-vu-bay-thuy-phi-co-ngam-ha-long/643378.html)
(https://www.seaplanes.vn/en/about-us/aircrafts.html)
5/ Today News
Vietnam Airlines opens air services from Phu Quoc to Singapore, Siem Reap
Vietnam Airlines will fly from the resort island of Phu
Quoc to Singapore in November and to Siem Reap (Cambodia) in December,
the carrier said in a press conference Wednesday.
The national flag
carrier said it plans to launch service from Phu Quoc to Singapore on
November 2, with two flights on Thursday and Sunday each week on Airbus
321 aircraft.
The Phu Quoc-Siem Reap
service will start on December 18 with three flights a week on every
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday using ATR-72 aircraft.
Trinh Ngoc Thanh,
Vietnam Airlines’ deputy general director, said the opening of the new
air routes is part of a master plan to develop Phu Quoc into a country's
special economic zone.
Vietnam Airlines also pledged to cooperate with Kien Giang Province's government to promote Phu Quoc as an attractive tourist destination.
The airlines is considering opening more air services from the resort island to other destinations in Southeast Asia.
On the occasion, the
carrier offers cheap air tickets from Phu Quoc to Singapore for trips
between November 2 and 30 at US$18, tax and fees excluded. For Phu
Quoc-Siem Reap route, the price is $63 for trips between December 18,
2014 and January 31, 2015.
(http://www.thanhniennews.com/travel/vietnam-airlines-opens-air-services-from-phu-quoc-to-singapore-siem-reap-31639.html)
Vietnam Airlines discounts HCM City-Yangon flights
(VOV) - Vietnam Airlines made a February 28 announcement that
they are upgrading their aircraft on the Ho Chi Minh City
(Vietnam)-Yangon (Myanmar) route to meet increasing travel demand
between the two cities.
From March 31, Vietnam Airlines will employ Airbus A321 on the high
traffic corridor, replacing Fokker 70s. The Airbus 321 is a more modern
aircraft, providing services for business class customers.
The change also means a 75 percent increase in the number of Vietnam Airlines seats available between these cities.
To mark the occasion, the national carrier will offer discounts on seats by up to 27 percent, starting from US$220 (around VND4,62 million) for a two-way economy class ticket.
The sale will apply to tickets sold from now until March 30, 2013, as well as journeys departing from April 1 to September 30, 2013.
Currently, Vietnam Airlines is the only national carrier to operate HCM City-Yangon direct route, with three flights per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
The change also means a 75 percent increase in the number of Vietnam Airlines seats available between these cities.
To mark the occasion, the national carrier will offer discounts on seats by up to 27 percent, starting from US$220 (around VND4,62 million) for a two-way economy class ticket.
The sale will apply to tickets sold from now until March 30, 2013, as well as journeys departing from April 1 to September 30, 2013.
Currently, Vietnam Airlines is the only national carrier to operate HCM City-Yangon direct route, with three flights per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Vietjet Air to operate more international flights
(VOV) -Vietnam’s leading low-cost carrier VietJet Air has officially opened a new route from Ho Chi Minh City to Thailand’s Bangkok capital, and is expected to launch more international flights this year.
Apart from the daily HCM City-Bangkok flight, VietJetAir plans to connect Hanoi to Bangkok in May and Danang to Bangkok in August.Pritam Singh, deputy head of VietJetAir’s sales department, says in 2013 the carrier is scheduled to conduct flights to other destinations in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea.
It plans to expand into more domestic and international air routes, contributing to the development of Vietnam’s tourism industry and the promotion of its image overseas, he noted.
VietJet Air is currently using six A320s and will soon increase its fleet to 20 by 2015 to meet passengers’ increasing demand.
The airline was estimated to gain 16 percent of domestic seats in 2012, three percent more than Jetstar Pacific’s share and ranking second after the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (around 70 percent).
The Thai media highlighted VietJetAir’s expansion plan, saying that the carrier is seeking ways to penetrate the Asian market with a steady development strategy.
Airports provide guest-house services, impose 5-star-hotel prices
It plans to expand into more domestic and international air routes, contributing to the development of Vietnam’s tourism industry and the promotion of its image overseas, he noted.
VietJet Air is currently using six A320s and will soon increase its fleet to 20 by 2015 to meet passengers’ increasing demand.
The airline was estimated to gain 16 percent of domestic seats in 2012, three percent more than Jetstar Pacific’s share and ranking second after the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (around 70 percent).
The Thai media highlighted VietJetAir’s expansion plan, saying that the carrier is seeking ways to penetrate the Asian market with a steady development strategy.
Airports provide guest-house services, impose 5-star-hotel prices
VietNamNet
Bridge – The prices of goods and services at the airports have been
lowered after the Civil Aviation Authorities of Vietnam’s (CAAV)
inspection tours. However, the prices are still three or four times
higher than the average market prices.
The food shops and restaurants at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports
have always been full of people these days. They wait for their flights
to different destinations throughout the country for the Tet reunion
parties.
However, a lot of them come in and then come out just after several minutes.
Nguyen
Thi Lien, who was waiting at the Tan Son Nhat airport for her flight
from HCM City to Hanoi last Friday, said: “Everything is too expensive
here. I would rather fast for some hours than buying such things with
sky high prices.”
Lien booked a ticket to fly with a budget
airline which does not serve meals on the plane. Therefore, she thought
of having lunch before taking onboard. However, she finally decided to
change her mind, when she was told that she would have to pay VND62,000
for just a bowl of rice with some slices of pork.
The same
situation can be seen at the Noi Bai airport in the north. A bowl of pho
(noodles served with beef or chicken) is priced at VND65,000, while a
loaf of bread with sausage VND50,000, and a can of Pepsi soft drink at
VND25,000.
While the prices are exorbitant, the service quality is
terrible. Vu Thi Nhu Anh, a resident in Thu Duc district, HCM City,
noted that no one would waste his money on such bad products. At Thai
airports, the services are also expensive, but the quality is
“impeccable.”
Spring water proves to be the only product which has
been cut down most sharply to the reasonable price level. A bottle of
spring water is selling at VND12,000-17,000.
Replying to the
criticism about the overly high prices of services, enterprises argue
that they have to pay high for the retail premises at the airports. The
rents here are as high as that at high end shopping malls.
An
executive of a land-service firm revealed that some enterprises had to
give back the premises in the international terminal area because of the
overly high rents and unsalability.
However, Dang Tuan Tu, Director of the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, denied this.
“No
one has given back the retail premises. The rent of some hundreds of
thousands of dong per square meter must not be considered high,” Tu
said.
Pham Xuan The, Head of the Finance Division of CAAV, said
the service fees at the airports are automatically higher than the
market prices because of the differences in the business environment and
retail premises.
The infrastructure items at the airports have
been well equipped with heavy investments, while the premises at the
airport can be compared with 5-star hotels.
In general, airports
are located far from the central areas of the cities; therefore, the
transportation cost is always higher, thus leading to higher service
fees.
“We have requested port authorities to report to CAAV about
the retail premises rents. If the rents are much higher than the allowed
levels, the involved parties need to negotiate about the prices again
and report to CAAV,” The said.
Ngoc Ha
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