I do think one can over-analyse the detail of an ad's content & then end up reading too much into it.

For me, when all said & done, it comes down to basics : creating brand awareness and tapping into a sense of aspiration via a memorable message. On those counts I see this latest offering as an effective tool, with little potential for serious negativity.

As for the target audience.... I doubt that any TV ad agency has ever been approached by any premium airline with a brief along the lines of "ok, we're looking to appeal to the back-packer market.....". That market is of course almost entirely price-led. EK gets plenty of it already, so no real need for dedicated campaigns.