i seriously doubt that EI are to pull out of DXB. the route has barely been up a year and with the winter being the DXB high season, loads and yield up to the end of march have obviously yet to be assessed. although pax numbers at times have been disappointing, i can assure you any time i have seen that flight being loaded the cargo pallets are almost at the half dozen mark. remember in the mid 90's when EI were in dire straits, those A330's made a profit with what was in the belly alone hopping across the atlantic every day.