Review of Vietnam Airlines flight Ho Chi Minh City → Siem Reap in Economy

Hi everyone

This flight is part of the following itinerary:

CDG-DXB le 28 mars 2017 AF 662Not reported
DXB-CAN le 30 mars 2017 CZ 384 Not reported
CAN-HAN le 30 mars 2017 VN 507 Under construction
HAN-HUE le 8 avril 2017 VN 1547 Not reported
DAD-SGN le 13 avril 2017 VN 117 Not reported
SGN-REP le 15 avril 2017 VN 3825 by Cambodia Air Services It's here
REP-CAN le 19 avril 2017 CZ 3054 Under construction
CAN-DXB le 21 avril 2017 CZ 383: http://flight-report.com/fr/report/24597/China-Southern-383-Guangzhou-CAN-Dubai-DXB
DXB-CDG le 23 avril 2017 AF 655 Not reported

Frankly, this flight was rather pointless, but something unusual about that trip encouraged me to make a Flight report

At every stage of our Vietnam-Cambodia tour, our private chauffeur dropped us off at the airport; Than Son Nhat international terminal seems brand new and much larger and more modern than the domestic terminal which was probably the former unique airport building



Very hot outside so let's get inside, outside FIDS may be useful particularly at rush hours


Bright and cool inside


Yes, even buddhist monks travel


Check in is announced in K zone


Empty at that time


But getting busy soon


Yes it's here. We are first on line so quick and easy


Let's go! To the loo? No to the departure area


Not too many people


Fast and easy for emigration


It seems there is a long line for security check in the background


More and more people as we get closer to control, but always on the move


Just a short wait for everyone at last stage

Before entering a long winding line for security

But always on the move here as well and a lot of employees to make things easier and faster


Some views along the way


No liquid check but take off your shoes at security


Gaye 10 must be this way


Almost 1h and 1/2 till boarding, plenty of time


Getting down to ground level with large windows airside


Is that it?


Yes it is


VN aircraft being prepared for departure


Refueling QR


We wait, seated


After tea…


Clean place


Back to my seat to wave good bye to VN aircraft


QR still refueling


BR has just arrived


No doubt we are in asian pacific area


I did not expect that one! I considered The Airline of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but eventually selected Balkan Holidays while wondering what this "guy" was doing here. I'll understand later.


But it's now time to go


Bus transfer, very hot inside

Cambodia Air services has been turned into

…Small Planet Airlines!



It's a small world after all, isn't it? So here is a touch of Lithuania


Some westerners boarding with us


Lots of asian; aircraft will be full


A bit basic


Pitch is ok but could not be smaller


The only bonus on this flight: pushback 5 minutes under schedule

But after taxiing 100 meters or so, we stop; guys go round the aircraft; we here some noise, landing gear? door of luggage compartment?
FA or captain will give absolutely no information during the 30 minutes waiting time; eventually, the employees on ground take their bicycles (yes they had come with bikes) and ride back to the terminal and we go on taxiing; late in line so new long waiting time at runway

Take off, at last


Bye Bye Saigon; yes I prefer Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City, like many Vietnamese in private conversation


A rich library for entertainment on board

Catering = Nothing, not even a glass of water or a glucose sweet; I believe I have never seen that in 50 years of flying experience


Anyway we arrive at Siem Reap.

I had chosen Visa on line before departure; good choice; crowd is going to Visa on arrival area


For us it will be quick and easy, smiling and pleasant immigration officer


Then customs as a breeze


Then going thru the "wall" of tour operators staff waiting for their customers

Thanks for having read this report, I offer you a bonus:




Hue : pagoda of the Celestial Lady (not sure this is proper english name)


Hue: inside the citadel


Hue: a gate to the citadel


Hanoï: pagoda Tran Quoc


Paddy fields north of Hanoï


A traditional village house


Street life in Hanoï


Halong bay


Same under sunshine


Hello granny


Tribal zone: Hmong woman in the fields


Red Dao woman


Taking goats to the market


Nice shoes to walk in the paddy fields along steep hills


Mountain market; how about the butcher's. I promise it's not dog meat


Hmong woman at market

Sorry, someone said he would like some dog meat?

Just a second, it's on its way:

Trafic jam on the road close to Hoi An/Hue


Hoi An, the so called japanese bridge


Street restaurant like everywhere in Vietnam


On a sampan , following arroyos of Mekong delta, in mangrove swamps


The main Post office in Saigon and its famous iron cast ceiling

Let's finish with wonder of wonders:


Great temple of Angkor Wat, east side


But you may prefer west side at sunset

That's all folks! No need to say this was an amazing trip