Firemansam

If its still on 1 itinery then you will be protected. i would just leave it as it is for now.
Its tight but taking Jetstar would be the wrong move.

5khours

1. If no bags, 1 hour 20 is more than enough especially if it's a morning flight (no afternoon squalls.)

2. Would not switch to jetstar.

3. If you're a worry wart, fly to SGN the night before.

azepine00

No it was not on a single ticket to begin with so after the change 1 20 min is a solid no go..

So the choice is really jetstar with 2 hr vs going the night before (really dont want to...)

Firemansam

Avoid jetstar at all costs involving any transits sub 12hrs they can be that unreliable..
We just bought tickets last week on VN and already had both flights rescheduled on us.
But for between $20-35USD a ticket one way i cant complain.

5khours

Seriously, 1 hour 20 is a no brainer...you But if you're a worry wart by all means fly in the night before.

azepine00

Perhaps i am misunderstanding here - are you saying that doing domestic to international on separate tix with 1 h 20 m is realistic?

Official MCT for dom-intl for VN flights is 1:20 there and that's a single ticket/carrier...

5khours

You can get from the aircraft door on an incoming domestic flight to the check in counter for international in under 10 minutes.

invisible

Affirmative on both points - avoid intra-Vietnam flight with Jetstar at all costs. The screwed once such a way that I could not imagine - they moved second segment of the ITIN to depart earlier before arrival of the first segment. And I discovered it by accident, there was no notification via message/email.

They even refused first to admit that they've done it, blaming me that I've changed my flights. Only after providing screenshots and printouts they admitted that 'misconnect happened' but did not put me back on original flight. Reason - 'there are no seats available'. And when I asked money back they have me a voucher, saying that it is in their T/C that they never give money back.

At the end I had to book another flight with VN for me and my wife and pay $300 more. I would pay just $100 if I booked VN at the same time when I booked Jetstar.
Same here - the VN flight I booked was rescheduled twice and I have an upcoming flight with VN in Nov - bought tickets 2 weeks ago and yesterday got rescheduling notification.

invisible

Let me ask the question - if miss the next flight because Jetstar's flight is canceled/rescheduled, what do you risk?

You can get a room within 15 min walking distance from the terminal for $20.

azepine00

this is indeed what i am trying to solicit feedback on - what is the risk of cancelation/serious delay for jetstar' first flight in the morning from PQC. Flight history suggests no issues over the past 2 weeks so i am leaning towards taking it (plus vn and vietjet flights are half hour later as last minute contingency).

While going the night before is possible i really dislike the idea of leaving a comfy paid resort room to overnight near SGN...

invisible

You've seen my reply above about internal flights within Vietnam about Jetstar. There was another person's reply earlier as well.

I wast told by Vietnamese folks (couple of I know personally and plus, my wife has one of her staff member from Vietnam) exactly the following expression:

"Avoid flying within Vietnam with Jetstar if other options are available. If you must, avoid booking first and last flights during the day because they are most frequently rescheduled/canceled. If you fly with Jetstart within Vietnam and have connecting flight, make sure that you have 12h between flights and travel insurance'.

Clear enough?

5khours

For the VN flight with 1:20 connection, if your flight is on time or even a half an hour late, you'll definitely make your connection. If you have a weather delay (definitely a possibility in the afternoon or evening this time of year), you'll miss your flight. Weather delays in the morning or mechanicals are also a risk but much less likely.

I'd say the risk with Jet Star even with a 2:00 connection is much higher.

azepine00

Thanks! My concern is mainly about not being able to be at connecting checkin counter at t-1h if the scheduled arrival is T-1:20; deplaning and going from terminal to another can eat up that time. Even 10 min delay will pretty much end this without any alternatives. Forgive my caution there but booking a bare min MCT connection on separate tix is very unorthodox - perhaps SGN is different - never been there...

I am not so much concerned about general cancellations and rescheduling of jetstar (as this seems to be the concern mentioned by other posters) if this occurs prior to travel - booking the night before will always be an option.

My thought is if jestar gets significantly delayed or canceled near departure i will be still be able to get on VN or VietJet flt (Jetstar dpt at 8:05, vietjet at 8:40 and VN at 8:55)...

invisible

I think what people here are trying to tell you is the following - if it happens on the day of departure - you arrived at airport, checked in, went in the departure hall and then it is announced afterwards that your Jetstar flight leaves 3h later than original flight or canceled - what options do you have at that moment?

This is exactly what happened with me number of times flying with LCC in this region - you go at the airport, there is no announcement 1-2h before the flight that there is delay. Then you waiting around the gate, no gate ages are seen, you finally find one and she/he says that flight is delayed for 1-2h. Information screen shows original departure time and changes at delayed time only when actual boarding starts.

Firemansam

As a data point, my last 6 arrivals from Domestic flights to SGN on VN each and every time we have parked remote stand, needed to take a bus in to the terminal (each time its taken 20+ minutes from landing) then had to wait for luggage on top of that.

Not to doubt 5khours, if you land and no delays waiting for aircraft before parking, and get an air bridge arrival and only hand luggage i too think 10 minutes to INT terminal is doable, but like i said the last 6 arrivals that has not happened to me lately.