OCTOBER 2017
check-in desk. After I explained my difficulty with
checking in online, the attendant assured me that there
were only 80 passengers on the flight, so I could have a
whole row to myself. Security was extremely quiet and I
was airside by 0950.BOARDING At 1040 I headed to Gate 11, a five-minute
walk from the main concourse. There was no queue as
everyone had already boarded. On the aircraft, I was
quickly offered a hot towel and a choice of juice or water. I
was also given an amenity kit containing socks, a dental kit
and an eye mask, along with a pair of slippers. We pushed
back at 1115, but weren’t airborne until 1140.THE SEAT The B787-9 has five rows of premium
economy configured 2-3-2 (A-C, D-E-F, G-K). There is
a galley and washrooms at the front of the cabin, while
the back row is separated from the economy cabin by a
curtain. With the option of a row to myself, I chose 11K, aBACKGROUND Vietnam Airlines began operating the
Dreamliner on daily flights from Heathrow to Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City in September 2015, flying four times
a week to Hanoi and three to Ho Chi Minh City. Flights
to Hanoi operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays, departing from Heathrow at 1110 and arriving at
0430 the next day, while the Ho Chi Minh service flies on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, also departing at
1110 and arriving at 0520 the next day. These are the only
direct services between London and Vietnam.CHECK-IN I had tried to check in online the night before
and was able to get as far as seat selection a number of
times, but no further, owing to a technical glitch. I tried
calling customer support but the lines were closed for the
day, so I crossed my fingers that there would still be some
aisle seats (my preference) available. The following day, I
arrived at Heathrow Terminal 4 at 0935, and went to Zone
E, where premium economy passengers have their own22 I Tried & Tested Flight
businesstraveller.comVietnam Airlines B787-9 Premium Economy
London–Ho Chi Minh City