I don't think this thread is a war between pilots and controllers. The underlying tone of this whole thing is that the entire Dubai airport and all its associated services (EK included) are managed by rank amateurs. Everybody and his dog is trying to re-invent the wheel at this place. I hear people speak of hub-and-spoke, open skies, free flight, yap yap yap etc. All fare and well but DO NOT bleat about fuel burn, severe speed restrictions, huge taxi times, snaking emigration lines and what have you when the cause for this monumental
-up lies at the door of Emirates Airlines (the owners) itself.
If you want an "Open Skies Policy" make sure you have an "Open Wallet Policy" in place to cover for the fuel loss on your one hour taxi to the holding point, or your time spent flying around your own arse only to divert to RAK.
I am amazed at times how Dubai and her rulers trumpet to world the progress they have made in 30 odd years (and they have), but then you look at how it manages its airport and I can't help but think that they try to run an Olympic 400m hurdles race when the diapers only came off yesterday. Vision is one thing but blind ambition is precisely what it is, blind.