Vietnam airlines?

[kingsize]

Does anyone know anything about airlines based in Vietnam?
I searched for "Vietnam" and came up only with posts about military/VN war, or posts about the best massage parlors. It seems no one has really talked about flying there.
There is a Vietnam Airlines website but it is under construction.
Thanks,
Kingsize

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Look on the contract pilots agencies websites. PARC Aviation, IBC Global, Hawaii aviation, IASCO, Wasinc. And do a search on PPRUNE.com
There are several contract jobs in ASIA including Vietnam. I don't think you could get hired directly into the airline without a pilot "head hunter" agency. I recently had an interview arranged by PARC and the service was outstanding.

Good luck

 

[Whine Lover]

As a good "Merican" Military Man... you wanna' go fly for Commie Dinks?

Wassup with that?


YKW

 

[kingsize]

DP, excellent. Thanks for the leads. I read some of your other posts. Did you ever make a trip to Japan?

Whine Lover, just looking at options several years out---read some articles this week about Bush's trip to Vietnam and how it is the new "Asian Tiger," growing economically at breakneck rates, and "Mericanizing" like crazy. Basically though, I've liked living overseas and traveling, and want to again. Vietnam would not be my first choice, but I want to see what it has to offer. Ultimately, I'd like high pay, low cost of living, and quality environment (so I've pretty much excluded India and Mid East possibilities). Suggestions?

 

[propjob27]

Definately check out PARC Aviation. They are hiring for a couple of Vietnam Flight crew positions.

http://www.parcaviation.aero/aviation/FlightcrewJobs.asp

However, most of these contract type jobs require you to allready have time and usually be typed in the aircraft before they will even call you. Somtimes they waive these requirements, depending on how badly they need pilots.

Me love you long time!

 

[flyinboxes]

What's the QOL like at VC lines.
Pay base etc.
Sounds great.

 

[Archie Bunker]

I flew as a passenger on Air Vietnam back in '98 between Hanoi, Da Nang, and Saigon. The aircraft was a brand new A-320, with a British Captain, and a Vietnamese FO. The service was just as good, if not better than any airline I've flown here in the states. Oh yeah, and the FAs were very attractive and friendly.

Might not be a bad gig there kingsize.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

The service was just as good, if not better than any airline I've flown here in the states. Oh yeah, and the FAs were very attractive and friendly.

Service? here?.... I got to tell you, I took good old NWA from MSP to AMS and took KLM from AMS to TYO.
If I have to use one word to describe what I felt with the difference in service between those two airlines I would use "shame." Not even a comparison.

 

[SNOWBUM]

I met a canadian captain from vietnam air at customs in NRT. he had been flying for them for 10 years, he had been doing contracts as an expat for over 20 years. he said vietnam was by far the best out there if you were willling to be an expat. he flew like any long haul airline here ( 3 on, 5 off, 2 on 7 off...) about 12-14 a month, then every 6 weeks he got 2 weeks off and a business class ticket back to canada . he made plenty of tax free $$$ to live like a king on a nice villa with a driver, gardener and 3 girfriends/maid/cooks. he had plenty left over to be ok at 60 . he loved life.

I like snow too much , otherwise I'd go there in hearbeat.

he was the happiest pilot I have ever meet.

 

[Green]

What are the cold hard numbers? Everyone always says the pay is great, etc without elaborating. Are we talking 200k/150k/130k/80k??????

 

[JohnnyP]

....

Why is it half of the guys I run into on a daily basis that are expats, seem to be married to a women from Asia? What am I missing here, should I give it a try?

 

[fareview]

Vietnam Airlines is set to double its fleet over the next five years. I believe they have ordered the 787. The agencies above and in particular PARC are the ones to contact.. Also try Rishworth Aviation. VA went directly to the market through Flight International Magazine and web-site (www.flightglobal.com)a few months ago looking for DEC and FO's on the 777.

Good luck...you won't be disappointed in Asia/

fv

 

[kingsize]

Wow, awesome replies. Actually sounds like an incredible place with great opportunities. I know they're all anecdotes, but all sound very positive. I've been reading up on Vietnam. It still is entrenched in communism, but coming around. I was reading about all the MIAs we have there too. Something F@$%ked up--- Lots of American military men might be imprisoned in Vietnam still.

 

[retired guy]

It`s hot, humid and a $hit hole.

 

[Archie Bunker]

It`s hot, humid and a $hit hole.

Hot and humid, yes.....$hithole? Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I guess.

When I visited there in '98, I stayed in some very nice hotels (4 star hotels in Hanoi and Saigon), and in Da Nang there was a 5 star resort right there on China Beach....absolutely gorgeous. Once the people found out that I was an American, and not a Russian....I was treated like a rock star....even in Hanoi, where we bombed the crap out of them during the war. There weren't too many Americans in Hanoi or Da Nang, but in Saigon there were all kinds of Americans, and other expats living there. There's plenty to do there if you like the nightlife, and nice restaurants. With the kind of money you would make as a foreigner, I imagine that you could live like an absolute king.

If retired guy was refering to Vietnam as a $hithole because of the infrastructure, etc...well, it is pretty third world there. A lot of that would be rendered irrelavant because of the kwan you would be making. Overall, it reminded me a lot of the Philippines.....poor, crumbling infrastucture, super nice friendly people.