View from the Wing

Park Hyatt St. Kitts Is Beautiful, Relaxed, And A Little Controversial — Why I Keep Going Back

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 21:04:25 +0000

Park Hyatt St. Kitts has one of the best physical settings in Hyatt’s portfolio: huge, low-rise grounds, gorgeous views toward Nevis, excellent pools, strong suites, and a calm that never seems to disappear even when the hotel is nearly full. Service still does not live up to the Park Hyatt name — but after three stays in two years, I think it is improving and offers enough elsewhere, that I keep happily going back.

Using A VPN Could Subject You To Government Surveillance, Senators Warn [Roundup]

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 19:34:51 +0000

Senators are warning that using a VPN could do the opposite of what many travelers expect — obscuring your location enough that intelligence agencies may treat your traffic as foreign and sweep it into domestic surveillance. Also Omni scoops up $200 million of Greenbrier debt, Frontier’s chairman explains the CEO ouster and JetBlue’s future, and one United flight attendant offers an unusually honest answer about a checked bag.

Comments

Fun Fact: Unless you have a very specific use case such as ... by Denver Refugee
@ Gene – Why the knee-jerk reaction? Gary didn't lecture you ... by Mike
@ Gary — Well, what's worse, exposing my banking and loyalty ... by Gene

American Airlines Current And Former CEOs Flew Home From Paris Together — Gucci Bags In Hand

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 19:03:17 +0000

American Airlines current CEO Robert Isom and former CEO Doug Parker were reportedly on the same Paris-to-DFW flight Sunday, returning with family and “Gucci shopping bags in hand” — while Isom is currently embattled over the carrier's poor financial performance.

Comments

@ David P — Yeah, AA customers picked up the tab! by Gene
On the Gucci bags, “never spend a dollar more than you have ... by David P
So, what? They had Gucci shopping bags? Not uncommon in ... by Courtney
@ Gary — What says you're a moron more than carrying anything ... by Gene
Literally spent my AA flight two days ago watching the FAs ... by Peter
Plus 2 more...

A Simple Way To Decide Which Premium Rewards Credit Card Is Right For You

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:04:44 +0000

American Express, Chase, Capital One, and Citi have all overhauled the premium card market, and the right answer is no longer obvious. The best card now depends less on marketing claims and more on which lounges, credits, transfer partners, and spending bonuses actually match how you travel.

Comments

Four contenders? This is incomplete. The elephant in the ... by L3
Just one? Lol Young retiree here who in our household has 4 ... by Dave
Amex would be a reasonable option if it were actually possible ... by Solucia
This is great but wish you'd include airline credit cards, ... by boilers

The Best And Worst Airports In America — Why LaGuardia Is The Most Overrated

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:58:05 +0000

The best airports in America are the ones that get you there quickly, move you through efficiently, and get you on your way without making the terminal itself the main event. That is why some of the country’s most praised airports, especially LaGuardia, look better than they actually function.

Comments

In all my years flying into MIA and then going to pick up a car ... by Stephen
I think IAD is more of a mixed bag. C\D is terrible, and as ... by Arthur
*reliably* – pardon the typo. by GregsDC
Fully agree with DCA (my home airport). If folks can name ... by GregsDC
@Jason- CLT has made a particularly great improvement among its ... by JimC2
Plus 5 more...

Airlines Keep Making You Gate Check Your Carry-on Bag — Then You Board And See Empty Overhead Bins

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:04:12 +0000

Airlines keep telling passengers the overhead bins are full, then sending them onto planes where empty space is still sitting open above the seats. It is one of the fastest ways to make customers furious, and it happens for a simple reason: gate agents are under pressure to avoid even minor delays, so they often start forcing carry-ons into the hold before the bins are actually full.

Comments

I hate someone in front of me dragging their spinner. no ... by Don G
Working the gates is horrendous now. It used to be fun. We are ... by Catherine
The culture of lying is the standard for the airline industry. ... by jns
On the issue of a personal item also being placed in an ... by Jody in Vegas
Aww. This rotating post is like Gary’s comfort blankie. Bah! by 1990
Plus 4 more...

American Airlines First Class Passenger Used Another Traveler’s Armrest As A Footrest — “Start Selling Feet Pics”

Gary Leff — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:04:08 +0000

An American Airlines first class passenger put her feet on another traveler’s armrest, got them shoved off, and then put them back up on the window a few minutes later. The incident sparked a flood of suggestions for how to handle one of the most basic and revolting breaches of airplane etiquette.

Comments

@Greggb57… My thoughts EXACTLY! by patrick
“Obviously you politely ask the passenger to move their ... by This comes to mind
A ban for no less than 2 years should be dropped on those ... by doug
Don’t wanna yuck anyone’s yum, but that’s an invasion of ... by 1990
Decorate the offensive feet with a Sharpie by Maryland
Plus 2 more...

Pilot Flew A Jet With A Taped-On Tail Number — Then Ignored An FAA Warning And Lost His License For 150 Days

Gary Leff — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:04:00 +0000

A pilot flew a Cessna Citation with a tail number altered using tape, got a written FAA warning during a ramp check, and then flew the jet home anyway without fixing the problem or getting a permit. The Fifth Circuit upheld his 150-day suspension, concluding that an aircraft can be mechanically fine but still legally unairworthy.

Comments

@Gene — Respect. by 1990
The pilot in command KNEW that he was unable to legally fly the ... by Win Whitmire
He should have made some minor nicks and dents and fixed them ... by jns
@ 1990 — I'm there with you. Top of our “HAVE to take a ... by Gene
I'm so happy to see our government protecting us from duct tape. by Mike P
Plus 3 more...

Baby Born As Flight Lands At JFK — Air Traffic Control Says ‘Name The Baby Kennedy’

Gary Leff — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 19:03:29 +0000

A passenger gave birth as a Caribbean Airlines flight was landing at New York JFK, with air traffic control expediting the arrival, arranging medical help at the gate, and then delivering the perfect line once the baby was out: “Name the baby Kennedy.”

Comments

@Jason Wong – we can only pray you are wrong. Just because ... by Michael Mainello
@your daddy, If the 14th amendment isn't good policy, then ... by Jason Wong
@Gene the low IQ machine – We will see. I am sure you will ... by Michael Mainello
@ Michael Morono — I look forward to seeing thenOranhe Idiot ... by Gene
Yeah i get what the constitution and case law says on this ... by Your daddy
Plus 5 more...

Hyatt Business Card Record 80,000 Points — The Fastest Way To Spend Toward Status

Gary Leff — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:04:15 +0000

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card now has its biggest-ever welcome bonus: 80,000 points after $10,000 in spending in the first three months, up from the previous 60,000-point offer. The bigger reason to care is that Hyatt makes this its fastest card for spending your way toward elite status.