Review of FlyOne flight Hue → Ho Chi Minh City in Economy

INTRODUCTION

Hello FlightReporters
For an aviation geek like me summer means only one thing: flying
At the beginning of June my family and I started to discuss about a big trip in August
We evaluated many places in South East Asia and also India
Finally we find an Italian tour operator offering an interesting 14-day trip of Vietnam and Cambodia
The tour spaced between many places in Northern Vietnam (like Ha Noi and Ha Long bay), Central Vietnam (Hoi An and Hue), South Vietnam (Saigon and Mekong's delta) and Cambodia (Phnom Pehn and Angkor's temples)
To get there from Rome we would have fly with Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong
After some worries about Hong Kong's political situation we left on August 18th
Return planned for September 1st

Some personal stats: 
First time with VietJet Air

AT THE AIRPORT

We spend few days visiting Central Vientam (Hoi An and Hue), which is very interesting and fascinating
Our tour would continue with South Vietnam
Having the flight at 7:55 we left our hotel in Hue city center around 6
We arrived at Hue - Phu Bai International Airport around 6:30

The sole Terminal seems quite small

The departure hall was full of tourists leaving for Ho Chi Minh and other vacation destinations

We proceeded to VietJet Air check-in desk

My boarding pass

There was a bit of queue at the security checkpoint
Most of the passengers were Spanish
Only one lane was available, but fortunately the second one was opened

Around 7:10 we got airside
Boarding was scheduled fifteen minutes later
Departure lounge, located upstairs, is equipped with just 3 gates
Towards gate number 1…

…and gates 2 and 3

Our gate, number 2, ready for boarding

Perfectly on time boarding was called
We proceeded downstairs again to take the apron bus
There were only two planes parked in the whole airport
And this one was ours:
VietJet Air Airbus A320-200, ER-00004 delivered in June '08 (11.3 years old)
The plane is equipped with 180 Y seat
It was leased by many airlines like Kingfisher Airlines, Mandala Airlines, Amentum, Volaris and now FlyOne
FlyOne, a Moldavian airline, wet-lease this plane to VJ

It's always strange to see an empty apron

The other plane parked on the apron was a very special one:
Project Orbis McDonnel-Douglas MD-10, N330AU
Also known as "The Flying Eye Hospital", it offers ophthalmic hospital services

Also our bird was quite nice

Last view of Orbis plane
I've never seen a MD-10 and I think it's one of the best plane ever made

Being in the last rows we boarded from the rear door

Fuselage shot

the flight

The cabin, equipped with 180 Economy class seats, during boarding
Unfortunately I forgot blank flight report forms at the hotel
I realized it on the way to the airport so it wasn't possible for me to print them again
I'd do it for the next flight

The view from my seat, with Orbis MD-10

Seat pitch was a bit tight, but ok for a hour flight

Doors were closed on time and pushback started

Safety instructions delivered by the crew
They were clearly Moldavian

Meanwhile two other planes had filled the apron
Vietnam Airlines A321

Jetstar Pacific A320

Taxi to the unique runway was quite short
The airport is not equipeed with a parallel taxiway to the runway
This means we had to enter the runway mid way, going to the end and than rotate 180° to take off

And here we go…

Bye bye Hue

Vietnam coastline

We climbed rapidly and started to fly over a layer of clouds

There was no food or beverage service
Due to the early waking up I felt asleep for a bit
I woke up while starting to descend in SGN

Ho Chi Minh from air
It seems a very different city from Ha Noi capital city

Ho Chi Minh downtown with Landmark 81, the tallest building in Vietnam

Welcome to Vietnam sign on a warehouse

Last moments in air

At 9:10, ten minutes after scheduled, we landed at Ho Chi Minh - Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Vacating and crossing RWY07R

Air Asia A320 landing

Vietnam Airlines A321 landing

FlyScoot A319 on the apron

We parked at a remote stand next to another VietJet plane

Bye Bye ER-00004

Thai Airways Boeing 777 taxiing

Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dream)Liner pushing back

Vietnam Airlines A321 and Jetstar Pacific A320 at remots

The apron bus took a lot ot time to get to the Terminal
It drives very sloooowly

Belt 6 for our baggages
Despite baggage waiting time was reported to be half a hour, they arrived in about 10 minutes
Later our guide told us that usually it happens to wait a lot of time at SGN

We met our local guide and get our to visit Ho Chi Minh and Cu Chi

Terminal exterior

Our vacation continued with a tour of Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong's delta
Later we would take a ferry to Phnom Pehn to visit Cambodia

To be continued…