Topic: Emirates Airlines

The United States and United Kingdom implement a ban on large electronic devices in aircraft cabins for flights originating from ten specific airports in the Middle East and North Africa. The hosts deconstruct the ban as a protectionist move to benefit US carriers against competitors like Emirates and Qatar Airways. They also suggest the ban allows intelligence agencies to legally seize and search travelers' devices.

The hosts examine reports of a "Trump Slump" in the US travel industry following the travel ban. They analyze data from the site Hopper showing a decrease in flight searches from most countries, with the notable exception of Russia, where searches for travel to the US reportedly jumped 54%.

Dutch pilot Jan Cocheret reportedly predicted a scenario similar to the Germanwings crash in a specialist aviation magazine weeks before the event. Cocheret expressed concern about being locked out of the cockpit by a co-pilot while using the restroom. The discussion also touched on the complexity of Airbus flight software and the potential for computer-driven errors or "planned obsolescence" in high-tech machinery.

Reports from the Petroleum Journal Monthly suggest that Saudi oil production costs are roughly $30 per barrel, while infrastructure investments were based on $100 per barrel. Dubai is described as a "ghost town" with abandoned luxury cars at the airport as companies relocate to South America and Indonesia.