It's the question rail enthusiasts have posed for years: When might U.S. train travel start to more closely resemble that of Europe and Asia?
06.12.2023 - 21:51 / skift.com / Edward Russell / Jennifer Homendy / Joseph Emerson / Airlines
Just two years ago, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Steve Dickson, encouraged pilots to seek mental health treatment if needed, but also referred to the risk to their careers of doing so as “perceived.”
But at a summit about mental health Wednesday, it was clear that the risk to any aviation professional’s career is very real.
“There’s a culture right now, which is not surprising to me, that you either lie or you seek help,” said Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, which held the event in Washington, D.C. “We can’t have that. That’s not safety.”
The issue received new attention in October after an Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson nearly brought down a plane in while suffering a mental health crisis. Emerson said that he had experienced depression-like symptoms since the death of a friend in 2018 — some five years before the incident.
Emerson is not alone. More than 55% of pilots have expressed reluctance to report mental health issues due to fear of career reprisals, according to researcher William Hoffman, an affiliated assistant professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota.
Stephanie Day, a Horizon Air flight attendant and aspiring pilot, said Wednesday that by her best estimate, it will have taken at least eight years for the FAA to let her fly as a solo pilot after she first disclosed seeking mental health treatment in 2016.
She plans to reapply before the end of the year and expects the FAA to take around 12 months to make a decision.
She asked, Has it been worth it? “This is my journey, and it is worth it to me.”
She was joined at the summit by other aviation professionals, including pilots, instructors, and the parents of John Hauser, who took his own life when dealing with depression as a student pilot.
The consensus was that the costs of both being out of work and receiving treatment all push individuals towards either not reporting mental health issues or self-medicating. The FAA’s required psychiatric evaluations to return to work can cost thousands of dollars and are not covered by insurance.
“We got the message loud and clear from all sides: If you want to fly, you can’t admit anything is wrong, at all,” said Laila Stein, a certified flight instructor at Jeff Air Pilot Services in Indiana and a recent graduate from Western Michigan University.
When a pilot or other aviation professional wants to return to work after receiving mental health treatment, they must secure sign off from the FAA in terms of a medical certificate. Applications for those certificates have surged in recent years.
“The wave hit us,” said Penny Giovanetti, director of the medical specialties division at the FAA, of the requests for medical
It's the question rail enthusiasts have posed for years: When might U.S. train travel start to more closely resemble that of Europe and Asia?
The cruise industry is seeing a surge in demand for expeditions that bring us closer to the diversity of wildlife inhabiting some of the most pristine parts of our natural world. From journeys through Arctic waters, expeditions in the Amazon rainforest and island-hopping in the volcanic Galápagos archipelago, we round up 11 of our favourites for the year ahead.
If, somehow, you’re still looking for a spot to spend Christmas or the final week of 2023, the personal-finance website WalletHub’s latest report has some important insights for you. It reviewed data on the nation’s 100 largest cities to find out which are simultaneously the most festive and affordable for celebratory getaways this Christmas season.
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, Margaritaville’s first property in a ski destination is welcoming guests just in time for the 2024 ski season.
Nothing says “happy holidays” like an extravagant Christmas display. Hoteliers know this. That’s why every winter hotels across the country get dressed in their holiday best, with twinkly lights and holly wreaths and maybe a reindeer lawn ornament or two. But only a handful of hotels truly go all out. From stories-high Christmas trees to beachfront ice skating rinks, these nine US holiday hotels take seasonal cheer to a whole new level.
South Florida’s Gold Coast is renowned for its blue skies, pristine beaches, and ritzy lifestyle. Anchored by Miami to the south and Palm Beach to the north, this stretch of Atlantic coastline has long been a playground for the rich and famous. Smack dab in the middle of the Gold Coast is Fort Lauderdale. The tropical metropolis is sometimes overlooked for its glitzier neighbors when it comes to vacation locales — the city was once best known as the capital of spring break pilgrimages and, in more recent years, as a popular cruise ship port — but thanks to recent development, a thriving arts and culture community, an evolving culinary scene, and its laid-back vibe, Fort Lauderdale is now one of the state’s must-visit destinations.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has challenged the Ministry of Tourism to work closely with tourism partners to significantly boost tourist arrivals and strengthen linkages with other sectors, in particular agriculture. “The impact of tourism goes beyond the confines of the industry itself; it ripples through various sectors creating a web of opportunities for people. Jobs created by tourism extend into agriculture, entertainment, attractions, communications and transportation, to name a few,” noted Prime Minister Holness.
President Joe Biden is a self-described train fan, commuting between Washington, D.C. and Delaware on Amtrak for decades as a Senator. Now to beef up U.S. passenger rail, his administration is doling out more than $8 billion, including funds for two high-speed trains in California and Nevada.
Las Vegas travelers are a $3 billion step closer to speeding through the Mojave Desert on a high-speed train linking Sin City with Southern California.
High-speed rail company Brightline is making celebrating the holidays easy this year with $39 sale fares during Christmas and New Year’s.
Just off of East Highway 246 in the town of Solvang, California, an eye-catching sign depicts an adult male ostrich, its black and white feathers spread like the fans of a performer in a Vegas show. Just beneath the display, in big block letters: “OSTRICHLAND USA,” and “FEED THIS BAD BOY!”
“Committed to protecting the environment: travel better and sustainably.” “Fly more sustainably.” “Environmental Advocacy.”