So true Don.
When l joined, all those years ago, the closest we got to India was on desent to CMB or DAC.
Still did local flights but at reasonable hours. But the 310/330 did India due to their very strange weekly-seat-allocation-cap to any foreign operator. Of course EK wanted maximum frequency and the John Deer was just too much.
Then the open sky months happened. Strewth! Never worked so hard at such crap hours.
Luckily they weren't too often, but we (on the tractor) soon found out through rostering when it was on!
Now it's very common.
I genuinely feel for the 330 guys. 380 guys? Nah! Especially those that flowed straight on to the va*ina and never got f@cked over by the "sale/no sale of aircraft and your command is delayed by four years".
However l see a day not too far away when the whale will be doing many a sh!t night turn to India etc and spread the love around.
As Don said it's swings and round-abouts. Not sure about Karma. I guess you have to believe in something....but l don't.
halas