The Details

• Flight: VN18
• Aircraft: A350-900
• Class: Business
• Seat: 8A
• Route: Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)-Noi Bai (HAN)
• Distance: 6,404miles
• Duration: 10hrs 22min
• Departure: 1:36PM
• Arrival: 5:57AM (+1)

The Preflight

After our delayed Air France flight from Chicago landed two hours and 20 minutes late, we faced a two-and-a-half-hour layover in Paris. Our arrival was in Terminal 2F, while our connecting Vietnam Airlines flight would depart from Terminal 2E, specifically from the M concourse. Fortunately, there was a direct airside shuttle between the two terminals, sparing us the need to re-clear security. The entire transfer process took us approximately 25 minutes from gate to gate. Upon reaching the M concourse, we headed to the Air France lounge.

The M concourse Air France lounge was pleasant with ample amount of seating and large floor-to-ceiling windows to allow for natural light.

We actually only had an hour to spend in the lounge as boarding for our Vietnam Airlines flight was scheduled to begin an hour before departure at 12:10 PM. Despite the limited time, my fiancée and I both took advantage of the lounge’s showers to recharge before our next 10-hour flight. The shower was well stocked with toiletries including a dental kit, shaving kit, comb, as well as Clarins branded shower gel and shampoo.

We did not get a chance to grab any food but there was an assortment of cold cuts, cheese, and breakfast pastries spread out through the lounge. Lounge staff also came through the cabin with a champagne cart offering passengers glasses of champagne at their seats.

We made our way to gate M50 at 12:05 five minutes before boarding was scheduled to begin.

Our A350-900, registered as VN-A892, was one of the 12 active A350-900s in the Vietnam Airlines fleet. This particular aircraft, leased from DAE Capital, was delivered to Vietnam Airlines in March 2017.

Boarding commenced at 12:10, but we were held on the jet bridge for an additional 20 minutes before finally being allowed to board at 12:30. Business class passengers boarded via door 1L while economy and premium economy passengers were directed to 2L.

The Flight

Vietnam Airlines has two separate configurations for their A350s. The first four A350s delivered to VN have staggered Stelia Solstys business-class seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration while the newer A350s feature the better Safran Cirrus III business-class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Our A350 luckily had the Safran Cirus III seats which were all located in a single business class cabin between the first and second set of doors.

My fiance was seated in 7A while I was directly behind her in 8A. The seat recline function was broken in 7A but luckily 7D was empty and my fiance moved into the center after take-off.

There was a generous amount of legroom thanks to relatively unrestricted leg space, facilitated by the folding in and out of the IFE screen.

Each seat was equipped with a 14.4″ touch screen, which showed signs of aging. The touch function was not very responsive, leading me to rely on the remote control for most of the time. While the entertainment selection included a few newer Hollywood movies, I eventually ran out of options. Additionally, the flight map was not customizable.

Furthermore, each seat featured an individual reading light and a basic IFE remote. Additionally, there was a single USB-A port and a few buttons to adjust the seat recline.

There was also an open cubby for headphone storage.

Underneath the countertop space was a 110V universal outlet and water bottle holder.

The bi-fold tray table was also stowed underneath the countertop.

Along the aisle was an adjustable armrest as well as a small storage bin.

Vietnam Airlines provided several amenities for each business class passenger. At the seat, there was a comfortable pillow, a thick comforter, and a decent mattress pad. Each passenger also had a pair of slippers.

Additional amenities included an average pair of headphones as well as a nice Samsonite amenity kit stocked with Payot branded creams, socks, an eye mask, a dental kit, eye plugs, and a comb.

Ten minutes after boarding, pre-departure beverages were served. Options included champagne, water, or orange juice. Hot towels were also provided

Interestingly, Vietnam Airlines did not provide a menu at the seat for passengers. Instead, flight attendants circulated through the cabin with copies of the drink and food menu for the flight, collecting lunch orders while still on the ground. The doors were closed at 1:13 PM, and we pushed back at 1:24 PM. Finally, we took off from runway 26R at 1:35 PM.

On our ascent from Paris, we enjoyed a view of Charles de Gaulle airport.

Service began quickly after take-off with another hot towel and a drink service. My Charles Mignon Premium Reserve Brut champagne was served with a ramekin of cold nuts and wasabi peas.

The appetizers were served twenty minutes later on a single tray. Each passenger had a pumpkin soup with a garden salad. For the main appetizer, I went with pineapply shrimp which was tasty. A warmed bread basket was also offered and I had two delicious slices of garlic bread.

My fiance had the duck pate with dried apricot and raisins which was tasty as well. Unfortunately, the accompanying toasted bread was cold and stale.

For my main course, I had roasted halibut with tomatoes and creamed greens which tasted great despite the presentation.

My fiance enjoyed the General Tso chicken with stir-fried vegetables and white rice.

After the main course, flight attendants came through the cabin with a large fruit tray from which we could select different cuts of fruits. They also came through the cabin with a cheese tray from which we could also select different cheeses served with crudites. For dessert, there was an assortment of cakes, ice cream, and chocolate as well.

The food onboard was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed how vast the menu and offerings were. In addition, the flight attendants were efficient with the meal service concluding just 90 minutes after take-off. Water bottles were passed out and I finished with a cup of black coffee.

There were a total of two business-class lavatories located behind the cockpit. Each lavatory was basic without any special amenities.

Flight attendants offered turn-down service and assisted passengers in setting up the mattress topper on the seat while still on the ground at Charles de Gaulle. With the mattress topper in place, I found the seat exceptionally comfortable and managed to get over six hours of sleep. The only negative to this seat was the lack of privacy as I was completely exposed to the aisle.

I slept well on this flight and woke up with three hours remaining until we landed in Hanoi even though the cabin was kept a bit warmer than I would have liked and there were no individual air nozzles.

The breakfast service began two hours before landing with a warm towel and orange juice.

I went with the Western option of a cheese omelet with sausage served with a side of fresh fruit and yogurt with peaches. A warm bread basket of croissants and toast was also offered.

My fiance had the Asian option of pork with pickled vegetables served over noodles.

The cabin was prepped for landing 30 minutes out and we touched down at 5:58AM in Hanoi. The taxi to the gate was quick and we were off the plane at 6:05AM.

I thoroughly enjoyed the soft product, including the food, amenities, and service onboard Vietnam Airlines. However, despite the comfort of the Safran Cirrus III seats, which are among the better business class seats in the air, they showed signs of age, with a poorly responsive IFE screen and broken recline. Had the cabin been entirely full, I am sure we would not have enjoyed this flight at all if we were not able to lie flat fully.