in this case.EK pays for a hotel room for first & business class connecting passengers (STPC) flying EK both legs where it is impossible (due to schedules not availability) to have a short connection (under 8 hours) in DXB


So if flying on an award ticket where there is an earlier flight but no availability, would taking the later flight mean no STPC? There was an 8 hour or less paid option but to get award business class tickets only the later flight (14 - 16 hour layover) was the only choice.