VietJet Air Review (VJ809)

VietJet Air is a low-cost carrier headquartered in Vietnam, operating both domestic and international flights since its launch in December 2011.

With a total fleet size of 84 aircraft, primarily comprised of Airbus A320s and A321s. Recently, VietJet Air has invested in Boeing 737 Max 8, 10 and 200 aircraft which are set to be introduced into their operations starting in 2024.

Thai VietJet Air, a subsidiary of VietJet Air operates from its base in Thailand. They have a much smaller fleet of 11 but are due to undergo substantial growth with fifty Boeing 737 MAX scheduled for deployment beginning in 2024.

I was searching for a budget airline to fly me from Vietnam to Phuket, as a nervous flyer I tend to extensively research any airline before I book tickets, I like to know an airline’s safety record, where they fly, what age their fleet is and more, I know this sounds OTT but it helps my anxiety. I have shared this information below and also wrote a short review of my flight.

Where Does VietJet Air Fly To?

VietJet flies to domestic and international locations. Below are some of their most popular destinations:

• Australia – Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth
• Bali
• Thailand – Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chaing Mai
• Vietnam – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, Phu Quoc
• Singapore
• Japan – Tokyo, Osaka,
• South Korea – Seoul, Busan
• Taiwan – Taipei
• India – Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi

Is VietJet Air Safe?

Yes, VietJet Air is entirely safe, it adheres to all IATA, ICAO, and other aviation standards. The airline currently holds an IATA Operational Safety Audit certificate and a technical reliability rate of 99.64%.

VietJet Air operates a fleet of Airbus A320s and A321s, with the average age of their fleet being less than 3 years old.

As of January 2024, VietJet Air is one of the top 20 safest budget airlines in the world. The airline has not experienced any fatal incidents since beginning operations.

VietJet Air Baggage Allowance

Different fare types come with varying baggage allowances. The most basic fare type, ECO, provides only 7kg of carry-on baggage. To have checked baggage, you will need to purchase an allowance ranging from 15kg to 30kg.

The cost of checked baggage depends on your destination and flight duration, but you can expect it to range from €15 to €30 for 15kg.

Now, let’s explore VietJet Air’s other ticket types.

VietJet Air Ticket Types

There are several different fare types with each one offering additional benefits as the price increases.

Eco – this is the most basic “no frills” ticket. Your ticket will cover 7kg cabin baggage, no checked baggage included, fee for seat selection

Deluxe – an upgrade to the eco ticket, this fare includes; 20kg checked baggage, free seat selection except from row 1-3, use of the priority check-in counter, free date/flight/route change

SkyBoss – the premium fare, this service is available on international A330s, this is a premium cabin that has 12 leather seats that fold out like a bed. It also includes a 10kg carry-on, 30kg checked baggage, lounge access, onboard meal, free seat selection in rows 1 -3 , priority check-in, and free date/flight/route change.

VietJet Air does not offer in-flight WiFi on any of their flights, regardless of the ticket you have purchased.

VietJet Frequent Flyer Programme

Sky Joy is VietJet Air’s frequent flyer program. You earn ‘skypoints’ for every VietJet flight you book, and these points can be redeemed for future flights or with their numerous partners, including Grab, Samsung, Booking.com, Highlands Coffee, Shopee, and MobiFone.

You will need to download the SkyJoy app, and you can also claim points from previous flights you’ve taken before signing up.

Cheap VietJet Air Tickets

I found the best deals on Skyscanner, a flight comparison site that shows you several options for your date and destination.

You can also book flights online directly on VietJet Air’s website, which is easy to navigate.

VietJet Air Flight Review

I flew economy on flight VJ809 from Ho Chi Minh to Phuket. The aircraft was an A320 with a total flight duration of 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The following is my experience with VietJet Air.

Check in and Boarding

I booked my flight through Skyscanner, it cost €151 for the deluxe fare.

A bit of research online told me that VietJet Air is infamous for flight delays, however, I experienced no delay with them but they did reschedule the flight with 3 days’ notice, this was a time difference of 1 hour earlier than the original booking. It was supposed to leave at 10:30 am but instead left at 9:30 am. This suited us better but could cause trouble for anyone with a prior connecting flight.

The queue for check-in was 30 minutes, we dropped our bags off and headed to immigration. It took approximately 20 minutes to get through immigration and another 10 minutes to get through security.

At this point, we were running late so headed straight to the gate. We only had to wait for 15 minutes until we began boarding. We were put on a bus and driven to the plane. This took a total of 30 minutes, although most of this time was standing on the packed bus waiting for it to move.

Seat Review

On first impressions the aircraft looked old, the exterior of the engine appeared a bit worse for wear but it is just in need of a new coat of paint.

We sat in row 6, the window and middle seat. There was not much leg room and it felt a little bit cramped, however, I did not mind this because it was a short-haul flight. Seats were leather (similar to Ryanair) and were comfortable, but there was no entertainment system.

The staff were very friendly and their uniforms were quite cool. They wear brown checkered shorts (think Burberry), a red T-shirt and a brown hat.

Once we landed it was quick to disembark. There were no queues at the immigration counters, we received our 30-day visa stamp in approximately 5 minutes. We were not asked any questions or for any documentation.

Would I fly with VietJet Air again?

So, is VietJet Air actually a good airline?

Honestly, I would fly with VietJet Air again but only for short-haul flights.

Their lack of entertainment systems, cramped leg room and additional cost for inflight meals would make a long-haul flight pretty tedious for me. However, if people are happy to forgo these extras then Viet Jet Air is a great option for budget-conscious travellers looking to explore Asia and beyond.