Meanwhile, economists are divided on how the demise of frequent flyer programs will affect the economy given the current financial situation. The most pessimistic forecast comes from Harvard University economist John Kenneth Goldbrick. "Without bonus miles, no business person in his or her right mind is going to go through the hassles and frustrations of taking your shoes off for the TSA," he says. "And without business travel there will be no business conducted. The world could be facing a depression equal to that of the 1930s ... uh, today."

However, newly elected president Arocka Bama foresees little long---term effect from the curtailment of business travel, "Entrepreneurs will simply find new ways of carrying out international commerce, possibly by way of using their Blackberry phones." He did however leave open the possibility that his government would consider a bailout of this situation with T-MARP (Troubled Mileage Asset Relief Plan).