Vietnam Airlines Customer Reviews – SKYTRAX
| Please read this before taking this flight. If you’re an Australian flying home get your transit visa. I can’t emphasize that enough. Even if you think you don’t need it. Unless you dig deep enough, you won’t know when you need it. I had a double layover in Vietnam, and was unable to board without it. On my flight to Paris from Sydney through Ho Chi Minh, I didn’t need it. And that flight, layover and all was extremely pleasant. Many family, colleagues & friends (even those who are Vietnamese), recommended not using them. And initially I thought they were incorrect, that I had a nice flight to Europe with them. I arrived at Paris CDG Airport to fly home 4 hours before my flight, but when I attempted to check-in I was asked for my transit visa. I didn’t even apply for one, no one, neither the airline or my booking agent (Flight Network) informed me I needed one. My searches on Google weeks prior didn’t inform me I needed one. I was on the phone to the Australian Embassy, DFAT, my travel insurance, no one could help me without 2 days notice to process my application. I was stranded 4 days before my brother’s wedding. I called Vietnam Airlines, they wouldn’t answer my call, after 10 minutes on hold, the call was automatically disconnected, the check-in staff couldn’t help me. I couldn’t even attempt to rebook my flight to a later date. They simply told me, it was my booking agent’s fault not theirs. No refund, no credit, no rebooking. No one here showed any accountability or empathy. My first time solo travelling, it was midnight at home, no one could help me. I’ve never felt so abandoned and helpless. My travel insurance couldn’t even confirm if they would cover this issue. The cheapest flight home that day cost me AU$4,200 and was horrible. I don’t think it would be hard to add a single line to the booking website or the airline to tell Australian’s flying home that they would need a transit Visa.