When you fly a business class flight, airlines usually offer an end to end experience. This typically offers a lounge or place to relax before a flight, so that you can be productive in work or relaxation. In various places around the world, airport’s don’t always offer the infrastructure needed to house a proper lounge offering. Singapore Airlines had worked around the circumstance by offering a lounge voucher at a great restaurant in the secure side of the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. It was a great way to spend some time before our Singapore Airlines Business Class flight from Ho Chi Minh – Singapore.

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Review: The Fin Bar (Singapore Airlines Lounge Offering) Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Getting to Tan Son Nhat International Airport:

For our travel back to the airport, we took an Uber Exec car from the Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers. Our driver Thayn turned up within 10 minutes in a new Mazda CX5. 

It was just a typical drive from the Dong Khoi neighbourhood to the airport. When I say that, I mean that it was the one of the most crowded trips that we’d ever taken. The ride was supposed to take 17 minutes, but actually ended up taking 41 minutes. On the drive, rush hour was all around us, in addition to the most motor bikes that I’ve ever seen. With forty five million registered motorcycles against a population of ninety million population in Vietnam, we were completely surrounded by motorbikes at most times.

It was a pretty awesome transportation experience I have to say. A mere $24 USD later we were at Tan Son Nhat Airport. 

Checking into Singapore Airlines Business Class:

On arrival to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, we checked in at the C counters. There was a short wait at the Singapore Airlines business class counter for us to check in for our Singapore Airlines Business Class Ho Chi Minh – Singapore flight. This was likely due to the ground agents having to complete lounge vouchers by hand and manually tag and check golf clubs for those that were ahead of us.

Our Singapore Airlines check in agent offered us an option of the FIN restaurant or the airport contract lounge. There must have been some complaints about the contract lounge as we were politely “encouraged” to use the restaurant. There was also a prominent display on the counter advertising the FIN Bar as having “strong wifi, good food and proximity to the gate”. We got the not so subtle message and accepted the FIN Bar restaurant option. We were presented with a voucher good for one alcoholic drink, appetizer, food item and dessert, along with our blue carded Singapore Airlines Business Class boarding pass.

We proceeded through immigration and fast track security. The waits were minimal. The airport itself was pretty spartan and utilitarian. 

Inside the FIN Bar:

We located the FIN restaurant. It was a sleek, contemporary space that was offered in the food court area of the terminal. It appeared to be the only table service restaurant in the food services area.

We were provided a voucher for a meal item, beverage and dessert from the menu. I had a club house sandwich and MrsWT73 had a pizza. It was an adequate way to pass the time. Initially, I was a little concerned about finding supper at the airport thanks to the 7:45 PM flight timing for our flight to Singapore and our drive to the airport but the Fin Bar worked out perfectly. The wifi wasn’t strong, and the FIN restaurant was no where near our gate as advertised, but it was a perfectly nice way to pass the time before the flight.

The Bottom Line: The Fin Bar (SQ Lounge Offering)

While it wasn’t a Singapore Airlines Lounge, or even a tired Contract Lounge offering, Singapore Airlines took care of us by offering a voucher for us on at a local restaurant. While we were also offered access to a lounge, The Fin Bar was just as nice and arguably a nicer way to go in terms of finding a place to relax before a flight.

If you’ve visited The Fin Bar at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, what was your visit like?

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