Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy Review

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

Over the Christmas holiday I flew Vietnam Airlines premium economy class to and from Singapore, with a layover in Hanoi. Before flying, I did tons of research about their premium economy option, and noticed that were not a whole lot of reviews about it- so I thought I’d write one in case others are looking for one!

Seat and Leg Room

We fly premium economy a fair amount and were shocked by how large the seats were, and how much leg room we had. I would say Vietnam Airlines premium economy has the most generous legroom we’ve had, compared to Virgin, BA, Singapore Airlines and others.

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

The seats were fairly comfortable, although the leg rests don’t come up so much so if you’re planning on sleeping, keep that in mind.

One thing to note- entertainment centers are in the side of each seat, rather than on the seat back, so you can’t watch things through takeoff and landing.

Amenities

The amenities were standard- the standard sleeping kit, but really nice (Noble Isle) products in the bathrooms.

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

The slippers were a really nice touch, which I totally appreciate because I hate wearing shoes on a plane, but hate walking around in my socks as I feel planes are very, very unclean environments.

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

Food

This is where I personally believe Vietnam Airlines really shines. As a lacto ovo vegetarian, most food options on planes are underwhelming to say the least. Chickpeas, noodles, fresh fruit and veg are all options. I was really impressed by how fresh and delicious the food was. You also get fed first!

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy

Plane

The planes are in good condition, and everything was relatively clean (for a plane). No complaints there, although nothing spectacular either.

A Note on Upgrades

On the way back we tried to upgrade to Business class so we could take our day back at home head on. Rather than have a traditional upgrade option, Vietnam Airlines uses a service called OptionTown, a third party service that you pay to upgrade you. The customer service and communication for OptionTown was horrible. You pay for the upgrade up front but are NOT guaranteed an upgrade; you’ll be let know if you are successful between several days and four hours before your flight. We were not informed until two hours before our flight (after calling from Hanoi) that our upgrade was unsuccessful. Not great if you are really planning on that upgrade, which we luckily were not. It would be better if Vietnam Airlines managed this service on their own.

Overall, the experience with Vietnam Airlines was pleasant. I would fly with them again, particularly in premium economy as the price was reasonable and the seats so comfortable!