dailynewsnblog
Vietnam Airlines will be taking off with a new non-stop service between Hanoi and Amsterdam this summer, which will be the first time the 
SkyTeam carrier has connected the two cities. This will complement both the airline alliance and the onward ability to travel at either end of the route.
For travelers, the new route will commence on June 16, operating three times weekly onboard the Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Becoming the only carrier to offer the route non-stop will reap the rewards from business, or high-value travelers to the region, competing against alternative one-stop itineraries such as via China, or other Southeast Asian countries.
Thrice Weekly Between Hanoi And Amsterdam
Vietnam Airlines’ introduction of services to 
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport marks not only the only non-stop route between the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, but also from all of Vietnam. No other carrier currently connects to the Netherlands and Vietnam nonstop. Currently, according to the airline’s website, the flight schedule has not yet been published, but we know it will operate three times a week.
Amsterdam seems a logical choice for the carrier, given its SkyTeam Alliance and the Dutch city being a popular destination for both corporate and leisure customers. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is also the home of Dutch flag carrier KLM, providing an extensive international network to and from AMS.
Currently, Vietnam Airlines serves Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Milan Malpensa, Moscow Sheremetyevo, and Paris Charles de Gaulle non-stop from Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) (HAN), while Frankfurt, London Heathrow, and Paris Charles de Gaulle are served non-stop from Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) (SGN).
Flying The Airbus A350-900
Vietnam Airlines will deploy one of its 14 Airbus A350-900 to serve the Amsterdam route, where the airline currently maintains two configurations of the aircraft capable of transporting up to 205 passengers. VN received its first A350-900 in June 2015, becoming the second carrier worldwide to operate the aircraft type after 
Qatar Airways. These are configured as below, as per data from ch-aviation:
|
Configuration |
Business Class |
Premium Economy Class |
Economy Class |
Total Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Configuration One |
29 |
45 |
231 |
305 |
|
Configuration Two |
29 |
36 |
240 |
305 |
Business class travelers can enjoy fully lie-flat seats with direct aisle access onboard. This is complemented by additional benefits such as lounge access, priority checkin and additional baggage allowances. Seats are equipped with 15.4 inch entertainment screens, USB chargers, and elevated Vietnamese or Western meal options alongside complementary beverages.
Premium Economy is also on offer, providing passengers with additional comforts such as wider seat width and additional legroom, while economy class travellers enjoy 31-32 inch seat pitch, 19 inch seat width, and personal in-flight entertainment screens and hot meals.
Vietnam Airlines Introduces Premium Economy Class On All Domestic Flights
The changes will come into effect next week.
Other European Operators To Vietnam
The Vietnam-European market continues to mature, with still just a small number of airlines cashing in on non-stop demand. Currently, most major Chinese, Asian, and Middle-Eastern carriers offer convenient one-stop itineraries between Vietnam and Europe, but just a handful are involved in providing non-stop itineraries.
To Hanoi, the only other airline offering non-stop services to Europe is that of 
Turkish Airlines. The Star Alliance carrier provides the route to and from its hub at 
Istanbul Airport (IST), providing an extensive number of onward flights throughout the European continent. From Ho Chi Minh City, there is slightly more choice for non-stop flights, Russian carrier 
Aeroflot connects SGN with Moscow Sheremetyevo, 
Air France to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul.
Passengers flying on the new route from Amsterdam to Hanoi will not only be able to make the most of the non-stop services to the Vietnamese capital, but also enjoy the airline’s comprehensive domestic network from HAN, covering most major cities across the country.
Previously, Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways also attempted European operations, but they were short-lived. The airline had once operated routes to 
London Gatwick Airport and Frankfurt; however has since re-configured its operations to focus on Asian or domestic flights and no longer serves the European continent.
