Te Rangi & NTM
I don't work for EK, but I must have travelled with them on some 80 + sectors over the last 3 years, as a fare paying passenger, so I feel that I am qualified to comment.
In all of those sectors I think I've had grounds to complain 2 or maybe 3 times, as far as their inflight service is concerned. In each case it was a solitary cabin crew member that let the rest of his/her team down.
Why do I travel with them again and again? Simple reason is I find their service ranks as one of the best available in the world, whether I travel in economy or business class.
The ground handling, including the check-in personnel in Dubai is very frequently a different story; but once on the airplane, they set a shining example to all airline crew around the world, in my humble opinion.
Don't confuse the current crew unrest with its management as spilling over onto the professional front the EK crews put forward to their passengers. So, Te Rangi, you must have had an extraordinarily unusual and out of character experience to make such statements about the airline. One experience is hardly proof to make such sweeping statements about an airline in general.
Cheers
Cb