Does not surprise me.
After all there were still hundreds of EK employees joining Exential despite all the warnings, remember? The heat seems to get to everyone around here ....
Bear with me for the rants telling about the many hours of DH back to DXB on the very same freighter after a already long duty (sometimes in the bunk, sometimes on the comfy chair, next to the loadmaster or horse whisperer, standard food, no entertainment ....). After all it's cheaper than hotel rooms.
They may be paid, but do not count towards the max hours, be they daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.
You'll end up with as many hours as a full contractor, but "only" 500 at stick, as per freighter contract!
I might be wrong though, but ......