My experience with JetStar Pacific Airline in Vietnam

Recently I flew for the first time in Jet Star Pacific airlines in Vietnam. I flew between Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi n back. This post is my review of the experience.

Intro: Jet Star Pacific seems to be a partnership between jet Star and Vietnam Airlines. But the airline gets part of its name from Jet Star, subsidiary of Australia's Qantas which holds a stake in Jetstar pacific.

Booking: Jet star was offering the cheapest flight between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, only INR 4500 approx for the return ticket. This was the main reason I booked on them. They work on a low cost model which means everything costs extra- seat selection, bags, food... I am used to that model so no concerns there. Same flight when checked on MakeMyTrip was showing about 1.5 k higher, so book direct on airline website.

On time: Yes, but when I had booked, my flight was for 2.30 PM, but they moved it to 7.10 PM. In a way it was good, because I got some more time and could go to Cu Chi tunnels. Else I wouldn’t have been able to return to airport in time for 2.30 PM flight. Boarding was complete before 7.10 but when it took off it was close to 7.30. The return fight was also moved by 45 minutes- this sort of spoiled my day's plan at Ho Chi minh- all one day tours had left before I could reach the city.

Seats on one of the flights was thicker than normal. Seats on return flight was normal. Leg room was decent.

Food: Nothing vegetarian, nothing written in English. Notice that all drinks- water or juice or coke cost 20000 VND (almost 1 USD). I ordered a coffee, strangely they served it with a straw and didn't have sugar packets when I asked for one.

 

One of the thing they can improve is deploy 3 buses instead of 2. For entire plane load of passengers only 2 buses were used, increasing waiting time, making it too crowded inside the bus. Providing one more bus would make it lot convenient. Also there's no point buying the extra cost first row seat- you may be the first to leave the plane but you will be last to reach the terminal, as the bus would wait till every passenger from plane boards it.

Also noted that cabin crew nameplate has a number- Like Ann 2. Probably because too many people have similar names in Vietnam.

Should you fly Jet Star? Absolutely. Don’t have any serious enough concerns to say don’t fly. But I had only 1 flight- you might want to check more reviews online.