The only thing better than heading home after a long trip is doing so in style, discovers Nick Walton on a recent Vietnam Airlines flight from London to Hong Kong.

The flag carrier of Vietnam, much like its home country, has grown rapidly over the past decade and now, as a member of the Skyteam alliance, offers a thoroughly competitive business class product on routes across the world, including Hong Kong and London Heathrow.

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Check-in

I had a bit of a panic moment on my way to the airport when I checked the Vietnam Airlines app only to find it confirming that my flight, VN50 from London to Ho Chi Minh City,  scheduled for 5pm, had already departed. Fortunately, arriving at the check-in desk at Terminal 4 I was told that it was a glitch and was quickly checked in and directed down a priority screening lane to the busy Blush Lounge, operated by Plaza Premium.

 

The lounge, like virtually every other run by the group, had good hardware – there were hot and cold dishes, comfortable seating, and a full bar – but poor software, with the staff all hiding in the pantry while guests searched for cutlery and wine openers. Fortunately, the lounge was steps from the boarding gate, where boarding onto the airline’s 787 commenced at 4.30pm.

The Seat

Vietnam Airlines’ 787s are among the airline’s newest aircraft and feature a herringbone-styled business class product with 28 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. At 21.5-inches wide, my fully lie-flat seat is perfectly comfortable, and boasts a 16-inch monitor, dual reading lights, personal air vents, plus AC and USB ports. While it’s a little short of storage options, when converted into a 78-inch-long bed, it proves to be very comfortable for the 11-hour 55-minute evening flight east. My only niggle would be that the monitor was showing its age and had a green tinge around everything that moved.

A Cerruti 1881 amenity kit filled with products by Payot, and a blanket and pillow were already in place. Crew soon served glasses of chilled Charles Mignon Premium Reserve Brut champagne and chilled towels before taking orders for the dinner service.

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We didn’t begin taxiing until 5.47pm due to delays caused by stormy weather, and took off at 6.10pm.

Dining

The dinner service began with a well-made gin and tonic, while the airline also offers an intriguing selection of cocktails created by an in-house mixologist.

For an appetiser, I opted for the smoked salmon and beetroot with mustard dressing, which was perfectly chilled, and was followed by a fresh vegetable salad and a lovely wild mushroom soup, which I paired with a glass of Maison Cazes “Eg” Cotes Du Roussillon Grenache Blanc.

For mains, I chose the beef fillet with a herb sauce, mashed potato, and roasted vegetables in honey, which was perfectly cooked and well-proportioned, and which I paired with the Ventisquero Vertice Syrah from Chile. The meal finished up with a generous cheese plate that I enjoyed during a movie from the entertainment system’s competitive selection (sadly, or perhaps not, there’s no wifi on the 787s).

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As we approached Vietnam, we were served breakfast, which consisted of yoghurt, a selection of cereals, and, in my case, braised chicken with soy sauce and egg noodles, which were flavourful and had a slight chilli kick. Be sure to order the traditional Vietnamese iced coffee, which gives you just the oomph you need after a long-haul flight.

Service

Instead of constantly remodelling its aircraft, what Vietnam Airlines has built its reputation on is the softer side of things, with cheerful, attentive crew that conducted themselves efficiently and professionally throughout the flight without becoming the robots you often encounter on other Asian carriers. There’s a genuine sense of hospitality that makes flights with the airline a real pleasure.

Summary

All of the six flights I did with Vietnam Airlines that month were punctuated with consistently excellent service, something I think an increasing number of travellers will realise when they give the airline a try in the coming years.

Hong Kong to London return in business class from US$3,354