Can't understand why anyone would want to discredit you Wiz, your views on EK are so impartial and balanced. Maybe you should send WTF a threatening pm.
Aren't you needed back at the office?
(Best new term from another post, gonna use it, "Oztranauts") They will Save Us All, these brave gents who invented aviation....
Back on topic, my advice to the OP is simply...you're jumping from the old frying pan into the fire if you think you'll have any more certainty about wtf is going on at EK versus a Chinese carrier. I would reiterate Laker's comments about China, you'll have more leverage there than just about anywhere else in the near term...