Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines is the flag carrier people reach for when they want a full-service airline with a national network and long-haul links. By our assessment, its real strength is the standard package: checked bags on many fares, meals, lounges on the right tickets, and the sort of routing that connects Vietnam with other major hubs. The trade-off is the usual one for legacy airlines, with fare complexity, changing service levels by cabin, and less of the stripped-down feel low-cost carriers offer. In practice it is a scheduled airline, so the experience lives in timetables, transfers, and the class of ticket more than in any one flashy feature. Against budget rivals it is less bare-bones; against premium Asian carriers it is more ordinary and more regional in feel. Vietnam Airlines suits travellers who want a conventional airline rather than a no-frills seat and a ticket receipt.