Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Airline Pilot Forums > Foreign
Vietnam Airlines info?? >

Vietnam Airlines info??

Notices
Foreign Airlines that hire U.S. pilots

Vietnam Airlines info??

Old 03-17-2009, 05:26 PM
  #1  
Line Holder
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Position: B737-800 Captain, Dubai
Posts: 64
Default Vietnam Airlines info??

I am seriously considering moving the family to Vietnam to fly there. I was wondering if anyone has made the move, has kids, and what the experience has been to date. Questions such as education, living conditions, costs, medical insurance, and housing immediately come to mind.

I have the info from Rishworth, with a very nice FAQ. I was looking to get some detailed perspective from an expat that is already there in HCMC.

Thanks!
Randy
[email protected]
RandyBMC is offline  
Old 03-17-2009, 06:31 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
2Co2Fur1EXwife's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Nov 2008
Posts: 314
Default

You might be able to find some threads on www.pprune.com.
2Co2Fur1EXwife is offline  
Old 03-17-2009, 07:06 PM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Shrek's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,814
Default

Originally Posted by RandyBMC View Post
I am seriously considering moving the family to Vietnam to fly there. I was wondering if anyone has made the move, has kids, and what the experience has been to date. Questions such as education, living conditions, costs, medical insurance, and housing immediately come to mind.

I have the info from Rishworth, with a very nice FAQ. I was looking to get some detailed perspective from an expat that is already there in HCMC.

Thanks!
Randy
[email protected]
I'll take this one by one.......
Kids: I have one and one on the way but I have not moved my children out here. The schooling is good but expensive (1000 USD per month/per child).

Experience: So far the experience has been overall positive.......the flying is easy (almost all domestic with average 10 hour duty days or less......the only overnight expats usually get is in HAN (hanoi) and the hotel is a 5 star with plenty of restaurants around). The way they fly the Airbus is straight Airbus SOP and all NPAs are selected/selected (no managed VOR approaches allowed). The crews are pretty good to fly with ......if you are going as a CPT then you will fly with mostly low time Vietnamese locals. If as a FO mostly expats (US/Philipeno/Russian/Aussie/Kiwi.....etc.).

Living conditions: You can find good places close to the airport (houses for 1500-1800 USD per month) or if you are coming with kids in tow......AnPhu and Phu Mi Hung are the places to be and are a bit more expensive. But they are also close to the best International schools so there is the tradeoff. This is a 3rd world country so plan accordingly.....only drink bottled water etc.

Costs: Food?.......dirt cheap (good meal for 60-100000 Dong.......14000 dong=1USD) Beer also dirt cheap (20-30000 dong). Cross-town taxi for 80-100000 Dong. 90% of the pilots AND the population has a Moto-bike to get around town (50USD per month for rental).

Contract companies: I am PARC and am very pleased with the ongoing service they have provided and the medical insurance they offer is said to be better (BUPA Gold Scheme). Not trying to sway you in either direction as far as contract companies but do a little research on them both.

Schedules: They change alot so be prepared. Everybody starts with the 6 and 2 shcedule. If you want you can change that to a 5 and 3 or a 4 and 4 schedule with a change in the salary of course. I just changed to a 5/3 split due to the time you lose travelling back and forth to the US.

Hope some of this helps........pm if you wish.



Oh yeah one more thing : GLENN'S GOTTA GO !!!!!!!
Shrek is offline  
Old 01-03-2019, 12:29 AM
  #4  
Banned
 
Joined APC: Dec 2018
Posts: 2
Default Vietnam Airlines is a 4-star

This is the national airline of Vietnam. It is a 4-star standard airline. Overall this is a quality airline and totally deserved for you to go. You can book airline tickets at Traveltop
hoangy is offline  
Old 01-03-2019, 04:46 AM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
captjns's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: B-737NG preferably in first class with a glass of champagne and caviar
Posts: 5,886
Default

Originally Posted by hoangy View Post
This is the national airline of Vietnam. It is a 4-star standard airline. Overall this is a quality airline and totally deserved for you to go. You can book airline tickets at Traveltop

A message from a commissioned officer. Gives new meaning to the term.
captjns is offline  
Old 01-03-2019, 09:28 AM
  #6  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 89
Default

4 star? As in cartoons with 4 stars spinning around your head after the hard landings and runway excursions? They average one a month of each now.

It was a much better company when the OP started this post. Still the same pay as 10+ years ago but much worse FOs who fall asleep all the time and haven't quite grasped the function of the rudder in crosswinds.

If you're interested in Vietnam go to Jetstar. The Parc insurance is bad (BUPA) but the new chief pilot is a good guy.

Originally Posted by hoangy View Post
This is the national airline of Vietnam. It is a 4-star standard airline. Overall this is a quality airline and totally deserved for you to go. You can book airline tickets at Traveltop
anothermember is offline  
Old 01-04-2019, 11:58 PM
  #7  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Nov 2017
Posts: 67
Default

Vietname airlines hire FOs and train expats with no type experience?
dualratedchoppa is offline  
Old 01-05-2019, 02:58 PM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
atpcliff's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: Capt
Posts: 3,215
Default

I researched SE Asia somewhat. I also agree that VietJet is, overall, better than Vietnam Airlines. pprune.org posters are not liking Vietnam Airlines at the present time.

A pilot I know just got small Airbus DEC, with no airbus experience, for Jetstar Pacific, based in SGN. I had never heard of them (they are one of the 5? Jetstar airlines). I was surprised they were hiring DEC with NO time in type.

Most people I have talked to said SGN is either better than Hanoi, or better for expats. If you want to get around efficiently in either city, a scooter is a necessity. I think that Hanoi would be cheaper living costs than SGN.
atpcliff is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Flatspin
Regional
43
02-16-2009 07:45 PM
Stallog
Part 135
1
01-25-2009 07:05 AM
papacharlie
Foreign
8
01-02-2009 09:05 AM
vagabond
Major
15
10-12-2008 12:07 PM
DLax85
Cargo
3
08-30-2008 07:00 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices