You're correct, my circumstances were different - by the time I received my final pay, I had closed any bank accounts in Dubai. So cashing my final pay and wiring it independently was the only option and it worked well. I wasn't worried about my Provident, and it showed up less than three weeks after my final day. The retention money came shortly thereafter.
And yes, HSBC is an utter, complete nightmare. Hope you get it sorted.
But I wouldn't have stayed at EK for any amount of money offered.