This is very interesting. I used to fly EK all the time and have to say I was always usually always very impressed with the punctuality and service. But after two trips in J between JNB and DXB in 2010 and Mar 2012 in what can only be described as antediluvian seating, I decided to stop using them. These seats have to be seen and experienced to be believed! They pre-date the old cradle seats in BA's fleet from the 90s and to add insult to injury, on my last flight the recline function was broken. It was a great pity, as the crew were genuinely apologetic about the dinosaur seating. And to be fair, on the flight back from DXB to JNB, it was an A-380 with new J. Now THAT is really excellent, at least as good as BA NF. Such a pity they ruin things by utilising such archaic equipment on certain flights, especially extremely high volume routes such as JNB-DXB. I really can't understand why they don't just bin those old seats; it's not as if they can't afford it!