The good news is landed in Tan Son Nhat airport safely, 3 hours flight from Taipei. The bad news is, prepare to battle with the airport workers, those that tried to make a lot of cash from certain people that cannot carry own luggage, such as this family 4 people, 8 luggage total off course cannot push all out by ourselves, so money for the airport worker, and through the scanner, most the items we have … more money for the security scanner person … well you don’t have to give them money but, it’s something if you want them to do it quicker, it’s the Vietnamese communist style! This airport treat foreign vietnamese different than the actual foreigner that are not vietnamese. I recall a story where US vietnamese gave $5 tips for helping getting the luggage, but the guy ask for more money like $20 before he go away, this airport need to fix its corruption, stop picking on foreign vietnamese to get their hard earning money to go back to vietnam and visit their family. Terrible corruption at this airport, so watch out if you’re so call Viet Keu, and once you’re out of the airport watch out for more trick of those taxi drivers, they will get as much money as they can from you, do not ride on taxi that are not waiting in line, and ensure they turn on the meter. However there are also good people, but it’s hard to spot, not everyone are bad, just need to learn how to spot the Vietnamese scammer.
Beware Of Airport Customs Police the worker there always ask for cash and big cash tips for helping with the luggage so beware lots of scammer and corruptions
I arrived at Tan Son Nhat airport late in the evening in February, 2011. Going through customs, I was pulled aside because I had a new netbook computer in my carryon bag. The customs police demanded money. I told him it was a gift for my nephew. He said I had to pay him or go to another room to fill out the paperwork. I gave him US$20. He said it’s not enough. I gave him another US$10. He was not satisfied. I told him that’s all I had — so he let me out. It’s really a shame for something like that having to happen to my beloved motherland. I hate to go back through Tan Son Nhat airport again.
It has never happened to me until two days ago (6/08/11). When I got home, I found out that my 2 pairs of Nike shoes are gone. Sigh…the people who work at this airport, would steal, rob or strangle everybody as much as possible if they could. Now I know they would steal whatever on their sight. Come on! Used shoes, what are you going to do with them? I feel so disgust to find this out. So, people, if you go through this airport, please lock your luggage and pack your nice stuff out of their sight. This sucks.
Watch out the taxi driver’s gross demand, if you arrive at night. A driver asked me US $20.00 for a trip to my hotel, in the center of the City. On my way back to the airport, a hotel employee arranged a taxi for me and cost only US $6.00
http://www.world-airport-codes.com/viet-nam/tan-son-nhat-international-2950.html
If you encounter one of those airport workers asking for large amount of tips, get your phone camera out and start snapping picture of that person or video record him and tell him you will give the clips to the news media news paper. That will scare him off.
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