This week’s broadcast of Eye on Travel broadcasts from Panama City Beach, Florida. Peter has the latest update on the investigation into the Boeing 737 Max 8 jet crashes. And Mayor Mike Thomas updates the condition of his city and the relief efforts five months after it was hit by Hurricane Michael.  The good news: the beach is back. Local CBS News Anchor, Paris Janos, on the intense connection between a natural disaster and tourism, and how one storm brought the community together. Musician Barry Fish stops by to perform; Captain Brian Robinson with an update on the return of sea life and the unexpected treasures unearthed below the surface of the water by the storm, and how they will soon sink the El Dorado, a former casino boat to create the newest artificial reef. And the Wall Street Journal’s Travel Editor Scott McCartney talks about the somewhat dark science of airlines building big time buffers to their schedules so that flights appear to be on time when they might actually be arriving 40 minutes later than ten years ago. There’s all this and more as Eye on Travel  broadcasts from Panama City Beach, Florida.

Click here to listen to the show streaming live from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 16, 2019.

Have a travel question? Then ask Peter. E-mail him at peter@petergreenberg.com, or tweet your questions to @petersgreenberg (include #AskPeter).

Scott McCartney, the Wall Street Journal Travel Editor, talks about airlines buffering arrival times so that if there are delays, passengers still arrive early or on time with the published arrival times. He also speaks about how many airlines are choosing to “hold the door” for connecting passengers running late because, it’s easier for the airlines to wait a few minutes and still arrive “on time” than it is to change itineraries for passengers who miss their flights. Airlines will only do this within reason though, because if the connecting passengers are running very late, it does not make sense to inconvenience 100 passengers to help six.

Paris Janos, Channel 7 – CBS Affiliate Anchor, speaks about how going to Panama City Beach supports the entire county. Just coming in for a few days even helps the recovery efforts. People may be surprised how long the repairs actually take. There are still people in the neighboring Panama City who are living in tents. It takes a lot longer after a disaster than you realize for a city to come back after a disaster.

Mayor Mike Thomas describes the relief efforts after Hurricane Michael. Although Panama City and Panama City Beach received some government aid, the biggest contributions came from local volunteers and church groups. He also emphasizes the impact tourism has on the area and the importance of people visiting Panama City Beach.

Larry Couch, Panama City Beach Fire Chief, details the aftermath after Hurricane Michael. The biggest challenge now is housing construction crews. As they rebuild, they need a place for all of those working on the reconstruction effort to stay. One thing that has been better is the traffic. The traffic was really bad for about a month, and it has only started to lighten up now as things get rebuilt in Panama City and more people can move back. He says that the best thing people can do to help with the rebuilding efforts in Panama City is to stay and spend money in Panama City Beach, which was only mildly affected by the hurricane. Spending money in Panama City Beach trickles out to the rest of the county.

Brian Robinson, Manager, Instructor and Boat Captain at Diver’s Den, paints a picture of what happens beneath the surface of the water after a hurricane. Debris and mud settles on wrecks, eventually washing off, and shipwreck diving is more challenging. On the positive side, it does diversify wildlife viewing because many fish that were further out in the ocean are brought closer to shore. Then, he talks about the process of sinking a ship. The El Dorado, once a casino boat, washed up on shore during the hurricane, and the owner decided to donate it to be sunk as a reef. There is a precise method to follow in order to convert a wreck into a reef.

Justin Leake, Local Fishing Expert, speaks about the abundance of fishing in Panama City Beach. Reef fishing is better after a hurricane. Bait fish get moved around during the storm, which causes predators to chase them to shore. The gulf had been one of the better-kept fishing secrets until TV crews began filming in the area. Thanks in large part to the variety of fish in the area, over 40 TV shows have been filmed featuring fishing in Panama City Beach. He had taken it for granted before all the TV crews came in to show how much fishing there is and the variety in the area.

Barry Fish, of the Barry Fish Band, dives into the popular styles and songs of Panama City Beach. Generally, people from the area and those who are visiting are looking for acoustic but amplified. He likes to keep it real and relatable for the audience. Some of the most requested songs will come as no surprise, “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Brown Eyed Girl,” and Garth Brooks are always as the top of people’s lists. And in more recent years, many will ask him to play “Wagon Wheel.” After getting the rundown of popular music, Barry serenades us with a Thomas Rhett song.

LeAnn Hinson, Assistant Park Manager of St. Andrews State Park, talks about how the park was partially open again within two weeks. Thanks to relief efforts and the local community taking ownership of the space, the park is almost back up to full operation.