Uncle Buzz,
I will try to be as honest as I can, although I do not like the place so I see things half empty.
There is no such thing as tax free as there is no Santa Clause. Things in Dubai cost as much, if not more in some cases, as they cost in Europe. There is no Value Added Tax, but the price tag is the same. The exception to that will be petrol and groceries, although with the recent increase in prices in Super Markets we are not far behind them.... Going out for meals is on par with Europe and for sure more than North America...
Quality of life has dropped both because of extra cost, and because of constant construction and traffic jams. There are too many cars and not enough roads in Dubai and shall be the case for the forseable future. The beaches have been eroded, it becomes more and more difficult to find open space to enjoy the outdoors by the sea. You can of course go to beach clubs and hotels and swimming pools, but it is way too artificial for a constant day in and day out.....
Emirates has changed and is changing all the time, but unfortunately towards the worst. The UAE in general does not have laws that if broken results in any form of meaningful punishment to the offenders. It is the same in EK as we brake every rule, and every law and every regulation we have internaly and in the country, because even when we do get caught, the regulator being the owner does not punish us, or reprimand us (Verbal only). We fly more than the 900 hours per year regulation, and it does not matter, we fly more than the 18 hours maximum duty period (4 pilots) and it does not matter, we roster 2 pilots knowlingly that they will exceed they allowed duty period and it does not matter. If you refuse to brake, the law, or to bend it you are called in to the office and are reprimanded.
We fly mostly night flights, and since we fly a lot it is very strenuous and fatiguing for you. The only good thing about EK on this subject is that you are allowed to sleep on the flight deck (Controled Rest)
You are not treated nicely within the company by any one except Flight Operations. Staff travel is a huge problem. (You are not guaranteed a seat home even on your once a year confirmed annual leave ticket-I was offloaded not too long ago). You are considered slave labour once you join.
The airplanes are nice though, the marketing is great, and the
PR department is second to none. EK is great when seen from the outside. It is not bad if you are unemployed, or if you want to come and get some experience and move on. It is not bad if you are coming from a small locost outfit, and it is not bad if you come from a country with security issues. It is a huge mistake to leave a company and a country with laws rules and regulations and join EK thinking that it is going to be similar. It is like going to Disney World seeing the Carabian, Latin America, and Europe and thinking that you have seen those countries..... At least in DW the employees are nice to you...