MTOW has little to do with making it or not making at EK or any other airlilne. I went from 12,500 lbs to 363,500 lbs and I am anything but exceptional.
Absolutely.
There is just nothing you can do about it. Same thing with the cut of overtime. It was given with some BS reasoning about how the nature of our flying has changed bla bla. It would've been more honest if they would've just said that it's a pay cut because of bad times/high fuel prices/whatever.
EK Management will change the rules as they go along and not always will there be a good reason for it. It's just that when you accept that fact and that you can't do a damn thing about it, that you'll be much happier here.
I agree with your remarks regarding training, although things are now much improved compared to before MM. I give him a lot of credit for that.