You forget that not everyone wants to do layovers and long trips. For some, turnarounds mean time at home with the family. It's all in your perspective.
I do find it amusing though when people describe certain aspects of EK in this forum as 'slave labour'. Look around- while the schedule may be tough pilots and CC are most certainly not slave labour, those guys are the ones doing the real tough work in Dubai...
HamFan, that is true re: cruise comment. I guess they are just seeing the writing on the wall like everyone else and changing ops to suit....