I realize this quote is from a few days back, but some of us have to pull our weight and get our 90+ hours of flying in...I do have to respond to this Oblaaspop comment though:
Please answer my basic question: Why should ANY government dictate how its citizens should spend their money?
What a nonsensical question. Of course any government by definition controls a great deal of how its citizens money is spent. In Canada, at least there is some modicum of control over the process, when the average "Joe Public" is regularly given a chance to remove the government if it spends their money in ways they disagree with.
How did you vote in the last UAE election?
Did you write outraged letters to Sheik Mo when they raised the price of petrol and implemented Salik, dictating to YOU how you should spend your money? Are you equally upset that the Etisalat long distance rates are so high? Can you not see the irony of railing against government control when you live in a totalitarian regime, largely populated by monopolist corporations? Or are you just choosing to ignore it because for you, personally, it has resulted in a massive net financial advantage?
Your position makes no logical sense. So now you're a consumer advocate for choice for the poor suffering Canadian airline passenger, struggling to get to Dubai? Wow. Thanks, but I think that's a bit of a champion in need of a cause, not the other way around.
LOL...incidentally, I always try to travel back home to Canada through Europe on a western carrier on the second leg, but usually EK puts me on one of their flights as it is cheaper for them. So if Canada shuts EK out of their airspace, it would actually benefit me as I would obtain my preference, contrary to your frustrated wish to make my ALT "hell". Sorry.