Today on AirTalk we'll talk transportation: the Carnival cruise gone wrong, and the American Airlines merger. We'll also discuss accommodations for working parents who need more flexible hours and consider the best ways to survive an hypothetical apocalypse. Later, call in to tell us your weirdest or most romantic stories about how you met your mate.
When cruises go wrong
For passengers on the Carnival cruise ship Triumph, their trip can’t end soon enough. What was meant to be a fun vacation got cut short when the engine room caught on fire Sunday morning. Ever since then, the boat has been without electricity and dependent only on generators. Water and food have been limited, and passengers are reportedly urinating in bags. People have taken to sleeping on the boat’s deck to escape the stifling heat inside the cabins without air conditioning. Tensions are running high, and medical experts are concerned that Triumph is basically a petri dish of disease and germs just floating in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.
On the bright side, the end is in sight. The ship is about 25 miles or so from Mobile, Alabama, where it is being sent to port. The only problem is that it is being pulled by a tugboat against the wind. Carnival says it expects the boat to dock sometime between eight and 11 p.m. EST. But there’s another snag, as the boat initially left from Galveston, TX. Apparently, the plan is for buses to take passengers from Mobile elsewhere, although locals are calling for passengers to stay in town and then use the local airport to get home.
After the torturous trip at sea, how will these people react to any more trials and tribulations? How are they being compensated for their time and experience? Will this have a negative effect on the cruise industry? What are the current conditions on board?
Guests:
Jimmy Mowlam, General Manager of Lone Star Rigging, LP in Beaumont, Texas, his son Rob is on Triumph
Monty Mathisen, web editor, Cruise Industry News, an online trade magazine covering the cruise industry
How should California employers accommodate working parents?
A federal judge in Canada ruled two weeks ago that employers must reasonably accommodate child-care requests from employees. A woman employed with the Canadian Border Control claimed that she was discriminated against for having young children after the Border Control refused to allow her to work longer shifts fewer days a week. The federal court upheld a 2010 Human Rights Tribunal hearing ruling that ordered the Border Control to alter its policies. As family values moves into the forefront of employment law, businesses in Canada will have to reconsider their policies and address the concerns of parents who have concerns about child-care and maternity/paternity leave.
In the U.S., federal law allows for 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for maternity or family health, restricted to those who have been employed at least one year. In California, a broader law accommodates up to seven months unpaid, job-protected family leave, and allows employees participating in the State Disability Insurance system six weeks of partially paid leave. Many groups focused on family values and women’s rights argue that the programs for family leave in the U.S. are insufficient, and have been consistently pushing bills that would bolster state and federal laws.
Are accommodations for employees with child-care concerns on the horizon in the U.S.? How could American advocacy groups and lawyers use the Canadian ruling as a model? What sorts of provisions should exist for working parents?
Guests:
Ann O'Leary, Vice President & Director of the Children and Families Program at The Center for the Next Generation
Matt Patterson, Senior Fellow at Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center For Economic Freedom, specializing in labor policy
What will an American-US Airways merger mean for travelers?
As of this morning, American Airlines and US Airways has official combined to become the “new American Airlines.” It it’s new iteration, the airline is said to be worth a whopping $11 billion and will offer more than 6,700 daily flights in 56 countries.
The merger is reported to be a good thing for financial stakeholders, but what about consumers? How will travelers fare as a result? In the ever-consolidating world of air travel, does the loss of competition cost the average traveler?
Guests:
George Ferguson, Senior Airlines Analyst at Bloomberg Industries
Mark Murphy, owner TravelPulse, an online resource for the travel industry
‘The Disaster Diaries:’ Sam Sheridan’s enlightening quest to prepare for the apocalypse
The year 2012 came and went without an apocalyptic disaster taking place, but that doesn’t mean a major catastrophe won’t still occur. If a devastating earthquake hit tomorrow and knocked out the power grid, how much food and water would you need for your family? Where’s the safest place to go in the wake of a disastrous event?
Former U.S. Merchant Marine, EMT and wilderness firefighter Sam Sheridan offers answers to these questions and more in his new book entitled “The Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse.” In an effort to prepare himself and his family for as many different worst-case scenarios as possible, Sheridan trained with an Olympic weightlifter, took an apprenticeship crash-course in stealing cars with an ex-gang member and completed agonizing lessons in Arctic survival.
Sheridan shares what he learned from these and other extreme experiences that might help him survive not only an initial devastating event, but potential resulting long-term post-apocalyptic environments too. Listen in as Larry is joined by Sheridan to enlighten us on how to mentally and physically endure a major disaster and its aftermath.
Guest:
Sam Sheridan, Author, “The Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse”
Is offbeat, offline romance still possible?
Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love in all forms, and in an increasingly digital world, many romances begin online. But are there still love stories beginning offline? Are the sparks still flying face-to-face, whether in a modern “meet-cute” or an awkward romantic mishap?
We want to hear your stories of offbeat, offline romance – the person you met in the elevator or on an international flight, the odd encounters with love-struck strangers, the weird, the wild, the romantic. Leave your stories in the comments, or tweet us @airtalk.
Guest:
David Isay, StoryCorps founder and president