... housing is a REAL problem in Abu Dhabi due to very poor forward planning, good luck!!
You are absolutely right on this bit.
Shk Zayed was against the breakup of GF along with other old-timers (rulers) in the Gulf, but his heirs insisted on creating an emirate airline after failing it 10 or more years earlier. Shk Zayed died at the end of 2004 and these same heirs decided to go for it full power. At the end of 2004, they knew it all. They told GF to go.
One thing is to say something and another thing is to do it. They said it, but they never had a proper alternative plan, the human and material structure, and the competent people to accomplish such a mission. Along with this, they continue to recruit incompetent and inexperienced staff and they never really trained people properly to deal with the staff generally. They never understood the multi-cultural needs of the different staff. Everything was just a mess. I know two ex-EY staff just couldn't endure it anymore despite all the patience and understanding they put forward.
The people who had to do their job (Chairman, VPs, Managers) never did it and left it to run to the lower ranks with the obvious very poor results.
Up road, despite not having what one likes, things are clearer and straightforward. Things deteriarated a bit lately, but one can see the orginal 1991 (human) investement paid off.
EY and many other airlines should run internal surveys on all issues involving all divisions, departments and sections and criss-cross them to get everyone's point of view. The surveys would help managers to dedicate time and resources to help staff feel better.
Ask crews and staff in general what they think of the different departments they have to deal with professionally and personally.
Management will think this is a waste of time and energy because they are afraid of being on the spotlight themselves of poor results. The few good managers would outstand and should be rewarded. Too risky for the vast majority of managers
.
It is important to have a home, not just a place to "crash" because you are so exhausted from work
.