Indeed! I'm also from that part of the world! I normally bid for my leave on those months I am at the bottom bid and bid for 10 days off in a row when I get the top bid. So I can go home at least 4, maybe 5 times per year. Now this is gone. If I knew this was going to change, I would have never joined EK. New joiners: pay a close attention to this.
Mfan