Dubai to Ho Chi Minh (Airbus A340-300)
Blog post with all pics: Dubai/Ho Chi Minh flights
I knew something looked a little off when we boarded our flight from Dubai to Ho Chi Minh. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, then, I realised. I'd boarded a flight to the 1990s. I kid, I kid. It was, however, a crowded cabin featuring old style business class sleeperette seats with limited recline and personal space - what happened to the lovely pod style seats I'd just left a few hours ago?
Our flight got off to a little bit of an awkward start when my mum, on the aisle side of a 2 seater got some welcome drinks around her head after another passenger knocked into the crew member serving them. Accidents happen but the evidence was still on the seat when she returned from drying off in the bathroom.
The seats had surprisingly good leg room when the seats in front were in the upright position but it got cramped when we all reclined. I didn't find the seats comfortable at all and didn't sleep on either leg but my mum did grab sleep both ways.
Seat recline:
Leg room when seats are reclined:
The food and drinks were just as good as the previous flight and we ate Arabic Mezze and stir fried prawns on the way out and duck and chicken on the return. The drinks menu was the same as our Dublin/Dubai flights.
The duck:
On the ground:
There's no chauffeur service in Ho Chi Minh. I've no idea how Emirates come up with their chauffeur routes but I wish it was universal on all routes! Check in on our return leg was so slow - around 60 minutes and we were 3rd in line. Some other passengers had words about skipping the queue and the staff made the situation worse. Awkward! Will include some pics of Bamboo lounge in next post - it was fine for a paid lounge but not in line with Emirates business class.
Overall
Overall it was a disappointing flight due to the hard product, the lack of chauffeur service in Ho Chi Minh, check in in HCM and the lounge. Obviously, in the grand scheme of things it wasn't too great a hardship (!) just disappointing for the price point and airline.