On the reasonable/unreasonable scale, I think few fair-minded people would suggest that EK's bond isn't waaaaay over towards the 'extremely reasonable' side of the scale. I think it's still the same today as it was when the airline was first formed back in 1985, which, (since everyone here is constantly reminding us), with inflation and the plummeted/ing USD/Dirham, means the 36kUSD reducable over 3 years today represents a fraction of what it did when it was first introduced.
EK could improve quite a few things for its pilot group, but credit where it's due - 36k North American Pesos, reduced monthly from the day you're cleared to the line, is a pretty cheap wide body endorsement for anyone who chooses not to stay on the Sandpit (for whatever reason) for three years after checkout.
If you want to talk unreasonable bonds, take a look (but sit down first!) at the double slug SQ will throw your way if you want to work in Lyin' City. AND you have to cough up a considerable amount of money 'up front' to cover just ONE of the bonds, which you have to deposit into an account they have access to should you do a runner, even one day before your bond period expires.
..............
There's quite a lot of truth (if slightly embellished truth) in what AC said in his initial post, but some of his comments show a (still) amazing ignorance of the region he now lives in.
I thought there would be a few more howls of protest over his assertion that almost each and every one of us comes home to our Jumeirah villas to a 24-hours-a-day-Prozac-addled Jane.
(Maybe THAT explains why my much adored trouble'n'strife is always such a happy individual.)