(Mike) wrote in message . com...

[Vietnam Airlines praise snipped]

Vietnam will never be a hub of any kind unless it lowers its entry
charges (to both passengers and airlines) so air fares come down,
simplifies entry requirements, and upgrades its airports and other
infrastructure.

Like Chinese economic growth data, Vietnamese tourism statistics are
seriously exaggerated. By the Vietnamese tourism authority's own 2003
figures, more than 80% of foreign visitors to HCMC don't return a
second time. Only this year, flights on the Danang-Hong Kong route
were halved. Scheduled domestic flights, even on the relatively busy
Hanoi-HCMC route, are routinely cancelled and consolidated.

I have flown VN numerous times: yes it's got better, but from a low
base. To pay US$580 for a 90-minute flight to Hong Kong is outrageous.
And I like Vietnamese food as a rule, but the unappetising sludge
served up by the carrier is a travesty.

Regards,

George W. Russell
Hanoi