Oct 29, 2007 03:15 PM
8620 Views
This is a very short sector: Ho Chi Minh City/Phnom Penh/Ho Chi Minh City, but it is a good test of an airline's abilities as often such flights are overlooked.
The check in process at Ho Chi Minh City's new airport was very fast and straight forward. Immigration and other formalities were swift and efficient and the terminal a pleasant place with very good restaurants.
The flight departed on time and loading of the aircraft was via a bus as the plane is rather small - a Fokker F70. Though a few years old, the aircraft was well-maintained and clean. The crew were friendly and helpful in getting everyone settled for this all economy class flight.
Seating is a bit tight, but actually turns out to be comfortable as one can stretch his legs under the seat in front of him.
The surprising thing about this flight is that in spite of having about 10 minutes at cruise level, is that the crew actually have time to get around to serving soft drinks to everyone on board, which is done cheerfully.
Arrival in Cambodia is quite simple and Phnom Penh's new terminal is pleasant and easy to negotiate - and is one of the few where ATM machines are located just beyond the customs area and before one is faced with the public. Another excellent feature is Cambodia's new online visa which allows one to forego time consuming paperwork and visits to embassies for visas(which are a must in Cambodia). The visa is not cheap, but the procedure(like that of Bahrain) is quite straightforward. Issuance is very fast.
Departure from Phnom Penh is also very straight forward - except that Cambodian authorities collect a princely sum of US$25.00 departure fees which seems way out of line. And like the Philippines, one has to wonder why it cannot be collected by the airline at the ticketing stage. But again, this is not the responsibility nor fault of Vietnam Airlines.
The terminal is, on the other hand very efficient, modern, and clean and a testimony as to what a country can do to improve its image - especially considering all that Cambodia has been through. Though relatively small, it has nice shops, efficient service, and a pleasant and clean restaurant. It also has a very interesting book store.
Departure was again on time on Vietnam Airlines and the flight PNH/SGN was almost a duplicate of the outward journey.
