A lot of EK pilots on the HSBC "Status" account don't realize that as an Emirates pilot you get 1 free wire transfer/month even on a regular free account. Good ol' Mamta won't mention that voluntarily since no doubt she gets a kickback on every new joiner she signs up on the Status. Saves you 70AED a month, unless you feel there is some value added elsewhere.
Having said that, I can't concur heartily enough that all of my dealings with HSBC have been about as enjoyable as poking a sharp stick in my eye. I was considering going to the EPC Mashreq deal, but from the comments here it sounds like Lloyds might be the way to go. Mainly I would like to get a better rate on the conversion when I do a wire transfer back home...are there any Lloyds customers here that are Canadian that could comment on their experiences?