Flight: VASCO OV 8061 / Vietnam Airlines VN 8061
From: Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) To: Ca Mau (CAH)
I flew with VASCO from Ho Chi Minh City to Ca Mau. At the time of my flight this was the only flight per day operating to Ca Mau Airport. I checked on Skyscanner to compare all flights and make sure there were no other options.
VASCO (Vietnam Air Services Company) is a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, and – as I was to find out – the branding is interchangeable. I booked this flight on the Vietnam Airlines website, and if you try and book on the VASCO website you will be redirected to vietnamairlines.com to complete the booking process.
The fare was 590,000 VND ($25.73 USD).
This included a checked bag, so a great deal overall.
When I booked the ticket, the flight time was 5:30. I wasn’t happy about such an early start, but that was the only option. I was mentally prepared for the early start, then the day before the flight I was notified that the time was moved to 14:30.
VASCO has its own branded check-in counter at Tan Son Nhat Airport. It’s a small airline, so there was no drama checking in.
On the departure board, the VASCO logo is shown along with the IATA code of 0V.
At the boarding gate, the logos of VASCO and Vietnam Airlines are shown with the 0V flight number.
This was my first time flying with VASCO, so I was looking forward to flying with a new airline. We were bussed out to the tarmac and I saw another VASCO ATR-72 aircraft, but it was not ours today. Instead, we were to be flying on a Vietnam Airlines ATR-72. It didn’t quite feel like I was flying with VASCO for the first time.
I enjoy the change of pace of flying on an ATR Turboprop, as opposed to the usual 737/A320 that is used on most domestic flights in Vietnam.
There are only 4 seats across in an ATR, so no middle seat anxiety. The flight was only about 1/3 full. I don’t know if that was normal or low demand during the weird time of travel in the age of COVID-19. I was lucky it wasn’t cancelled completely.
The scheduled flight time is 55 minutes, so there is no meal service. Free water is handed out during the flight.
Heritage – the inflight magazine of Vietnam Airlines.
The magazine shows the combined route map of Vietnam Airlines and VASCO, with the dotted lines representing VASCO.
VASCO services small airport destinations in Vietnam.
I had a window seat and I had a great view of the Mekong Delta Region during this flight. Unfortunately, the window was so dirty that I didn’t get many clear photos. Ca Mau Airport is near the city centre, and the landing path goes across the city. Here is the view of the central market.
The aircraft parks close enough to the terminal to be able to walk. No bus transfers here.
The Ca Mau Airport terminal receiving its one flight per day. When we arrived we had to fill out a health declaration form due to the ongoing global pandemic.
That was my first VASCO flight that didn’t feel like a VASCO flight. The alternative is an 8-hour bus ride for the 308km journey, so I was happy to fly.
