View from the Wing

View from the Wing

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Gary Leff’s long-running personal blog covering the business of travel, airline strategy, loyalty programs, and hotel trends.

Passengers Told To “Run” After United Flight Diverts Due To Possible Bomb On Board
PodcastApr 18, 20260 min

Passengers Told To “Run” After United Flight Diverts Due To Possible Bomb On Board

United Airlines Flight 2092 from Chicago to New York was diverted to Pittsburgh after the crew detected a possible bomb, prompting an emergency squawk and a “brace‑brace‑brace” announcement. Passengers were instructed not to retrieve luggage, evacuated onto the wing, and...

By View from the Wing
Abraham Lincoln Documentary Somehow Broadcast Over Houston Air Traffic Control Frequency [Roundup]
NewsApr 18, 2026

Abraham Lincoln Documentary Somehow Broadcast Over Houston Air Traffic Control Frequency [Roundup]

A bizarre incident occurred early Thursday when a documentary about Abraham Lincoln was inadvertently broadcast over Houston’s IAH tower frequency, prompting concerns about radio‑frequency interference in air traffic control. Meanwhile, Waymo’s autonomous ride‑share service at San Francisco International has relocated its...

By View from the Wing
American Airlines Launched A New System To Keep Flights Staffed — Angry Senior Pilots Could Overthrow Their Union
NewsApr 18, 2026

American Airlines Launched A New System To Keep Flights Staffed — Angry Senior Pilots Could Overthrow Their Union

American Airlines rolled out the Aggressive Pick Up (APU) scheduling app on April 8, allowing any available pilot to claim flights that open within four hours of departure, bypassing traditional seniority rules. The change gives junior pilots access to higher‑paying trips...

By View from the Wing
American Airlines Denies United Merger Talks — But Leaves Room For Other Deals
NewsApr 17, 2026

American Airlines Denies United Merger Talks — But Leaves Room For Other Deals

American Airlines publicly denied any merger discussions with United Airlines, emphasizing antitrust risks and alignment with the Trump administration’s competition stance. The carrier’s statement highlighted that a United combination would harm consumers and conflict with the administration’s philosophy. While rejecting...

By View from the Wing
American Airlines Keeps Finding New Ways To Break Basic Technology [Roundup]
NewsApr 17, 2026

American Airlines Keeps Finding New Ways To Break Basic Technology [Roundup]

A recent roundup highlights a series of quirky developments affecting airline travelers. American Airlines sparked a tweet about mobile‑wallet boarding‑pass glitches, while the InKind app is running a limited‑time $50 referral bonus for new members and $25 for referrers. A...

By View from the Wing
Southwest Airlines Now Has At Least 5 Airport Lounges In The Pipeline
NewsApr 17, 2026

Southwest Airlines Now Has At Least 5 Airport Lounges In The Pipeline

Southwest Airlines is quietly assembling a network of premium lounges, targeting Honolulu, Nashville, Denver, Dallas Love Field and Austin. Leases for a 9,577‑sq‑ft lounge in Honolulu and a 40,000‑sq‑ft facility in Austin have been confirmed, while filings show a 30,000‑sq‑ft...

By View from the Wing
JetBlue Founder Warns The Airline May Go Bankrupt This Year — And Says Nobody Will Buy It
NewsApr 15, 2026

JetBlue Founder Warns The Airline May Go Bankrupt This Year — And Says Nobody Will Buy It

JetBlue founder Dave Neeleman warned that soaring jet‑fuel prices, now around $4 per gallon, could force the airline to lose $1.3 billion this year and push its debt service to roughly $800 million in interest. He cited JP Morgan analyst estimates that a...

By View from the Wing
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Adds A New Transfer Partner — With A New Way To Get More Value From Points
NewsApr 15, 2026

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Adds A New Transfer Partner — With A New Way To Get More Value From Points

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Signature, launched two years ago, offers a 60,000‑point sign‑up bonus after $4,000 spend, 5× points on hotels, 4× on airlines, and a $50 annual airfare credit against its $95 fee. The card’s transfer portfolio...

By View from the Wing
Were LaGuardia Runway Collision Alerts Tuned Down Before The Air Canada Collision? — [Roundup]
NewsApr 15, 2026

Were LaGuardia Runway Collision Alerts Tuned Down Before The Air Canada Collision? — [Roundup]

A retired FAA systems engineer disclosed that the ASDE‑X runway‑collision alert system uses adjustable time and distance parameters, known as safety cells, which are set individually at each airport. During development, the FAA and controller groups deliberately lowered these thresholds...

By View from the Wing
Southwest Airlines Hired A United Veteran As New Loyalty Chief — Rapid Rewards May Not Look The Same For Long
NewsApr 15, 2026

Southwest Airlines Hired A United Veteran As New Loyalty Chief — Rapid Rewards May Not Look The Same For Long

Southwest Airlines appointed Nandika Suri, a former United MileagePlus executive, as vice‑president of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program. Suri spent 17 years at United, launching the revenue‑based Premier elite tier and overseeing the United‑Continental integration, before leading Choice Hotels’ Choice...

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Chase Cut Sapphire Reserve Rewards For Airbnb And Expedia — Now Adds Plum Guide To Chase Travel
NewsApr 14, 2026

Chase Cut Sapphire Reserve Rewards For Airbnb And Expedia — Now Adds Plum Guide To Chase Travel

Chase revamped the Sapphire Reserve rewards, eliminating the 3‑point‑per‑dollar rate on generic travel purchases and boosting earnings to 8 points per dollar when bookings are made through Chase Travel. The change targets spend that previously flowed to rivals like Expedia...

By View from the Wing
American Airlines Says Turnstiles Will Improve Boarding — They May Just Make Flying Worse
NewsApr 14, 2026

American Airlines Says Turnstiles Will Improve Boarding — They May Just Make Flying Worse

American Airlines announced the installation of electronic turnstile boarding gates at its new C concourse expansion pier in Dallas‑Fort Worth International Airport, following a pilot program in November 2025. The airline says the e‑gates will automatically validate boarding passes, display...

By View from the Wing
Airports Won’t Let Prices Rise — So They Tell Vendors To Add Surcharges
NewsApr 14, 2026

Airports Won’t Let Prices Rise — So They Tell Vendors To Add Surcharges

Airports are prohibiting concessionaires from raising menu prices directly and are instead encouraging the addition of a 3‑5% surcharge billed as an employee benefit or retention fee. The practice stems from high airport rents, mandated higher minimum wages, and “street‑pricing”...

By View from the Wing
United’s Cheapest Business Fares Even Worse Than First Reported — No Flight Credit, And For Many Travelers No Miles
NewsApr 13, 2026

United’s Cheapest Business Fares Even Worse Than First Reported — No Flight Credit, And For Many Travelers No Miles

United Airlines has introduced a stripped‑down "Basic Business" fare that removes Polaris lounge access, seat selection, and ticket changes. The fare also eliminates mileage accrual for passengers without a MileagePlus credit card, and it no longer counts toward elite‑status flight...

By View from the Wing
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