Hi, readers! This will be my 2nd FR. This is about the journey with Vietnam airlines flight VN599 from Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport/Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN). Hope you'll enjoy reading it!
Earliest wake-up time and head to the airport:
24/8/2016 2:50 am, I woke up with a yawn. Very tired. Not getting enough sleep last night, as I can't sleep before the day of travel. So I only slept for 1 hour, then I woke up. After waking up, I did my grooming. At 3:52 am, I left home. I am joining Wing On's tour, AVSGP05B. Before I head to the bus stop, I went to OK for add-value. Then I head for the bus stop. Since it was so early, I have to take the Overnight Express bus to HKG Airport, it was NA29. The bus is very fast. At 5:05 am, we arrived, 20 mins before the scheduled gathering time.
NA29 route information
Airport in early morning
Vietnam Girl
How to spend my time at the airport:
After checking in and delivered my luggage at Lane D, Terminal 1, I passed immigration quickly and had a breakfast at McDonald's. After breakfast, I took a photo of a Cathay Pacific A330-300 in old livery and an airplane wheel.
Airplane wheel
Cathay Pacific A330-300 in old livery
Lane D
My Air Ticket
McDonalds at Terminal 1 Airside
Currency list at McDonalds
After breakfast, I had a walk in the terminal and used the toilet before heading to gate 511.
Instructions to gate 501-530
Then turn left for gate 501-519
The lane at gate 512
Boarding should be commenced at 7:05 am but delayed to 7:15 am. The same boarding procedure: Business class passengers board first, but we are on the same bus. We took the bus to the plane, which is parked at gate N145.
Line up for boarding. Two lines: Business and Economy class.
Cathay Pacific B777-367(ER) in new livery
Please stop
A few minutes later, we arrived at the plane.
HKG Tarmac
Our plane
Stairs for boarding at the back. For rows 27-39
Wing of our plane. VN-A325, an A321.
Plane:
After I board the plane, there were no greetings. no good mornings, no welcome on board, no hi and etc… their mouth should be stuck by AA Glue. The Y class was about 65% full, about 103 passengers on board.
Last row of empty seats
Magazine for Vietnam Airlines: Heritage
Toilet door
Vomitting Bag
Taxi and Takeoff:
The plane started taxiing at 7:53 am, 2 minutes ahead of scheduled time. After a 24 minute taxi, we took off from Runway 07L. Smooth takeoff.
Food:
Meal services started about 10 minutes after takeoff. The meal for this flight is breakfast. There are only 2 choices of breakfast, congee, and noodles. Adding on is a juice/beer/champagne and a plain yogurt. If you want a bread, you have to ask yourself. They won't ask you if you want it or not. Also, there is only ONE laminated menu, so people will have to wait for the people in front to choose, thus wasting time. As I said before, their mouth are stuck by AA Glue, they just give it to you with ONE hand (The Chinese tradition is TWO hands since it is a manner), and then you tell him/her, and then they give it to you without speaking. Most airlines do say 'Enjoy your meal", but this is not the case. I chose the noodle set with the bun. The noodle is ridiculously good, the fruit was amazingly sweet, and it is the best meal I've ever eaten before (sarcastic). The bun is hot and tasty, so they gained themselves half a mark. After meals were distributed, they would ask you if you want tea or coffee. I chose the tea and they gained themselves another half a mark.
Meal before opening the covers
Tea
Landing and taxi:
After 2 hours 14 minutes in the air, we landed in Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat International Airport on 9:31 am. The landing was also smooth. We taxied for 9 minutes. The journey was still uneventful. But when we neared to the terminal, the airbridge malfunctioned, so we have to take the bus to the terminal, pass immigration, reclaim baggage, and finally arriving at landside.
Thank you so much and please continue to support me. There will be another flight report soon. Also, please give comments!
