It seems that for every individual like KINGOFTHESLIPSTREM, their are many happy and smiling faces around working for EK. It depends where you come from - at present the Aussies and Europeans are taking strain with the exchange rate. Some others are really smiling e.g. Africans and Yankees. I presume that Canadians are also worse off due to the strengthening of the Can dollar to the US dollar.
Go and have a look and listen to the roadshow - I have found it truthful with good information about life in the UAE.
I enjoy the life here, and I will stay - for a while in any case!
Yes, it really is a matter of perspective. Perhaps you should ask the wife of the late Alberto Esguerra, or the family of the Cabin Crew who recently "fell" from her balcony about the true nature of life in Dubai. There are many adjectives to describe the roadshow presentation: slick, expensive, glitzy. I wouldn't really include "truthful" on the list of adjectives.