m3red : I'm genuinely surprised that you have waited this long before redirecting at least some of your air business to other carriers.

Emirates do a good job and, speaking personally, have mostly looked after me very well. But that's not enough to stop me at least trying alternative options from time to time.

I've always believed that EK are at their best once you're actually in the air. Ok....so that's obviously the principal component of any ticket cost. BUT the peripheral aspects - notably pre and post-flight service, whether airport arrangements or telephone support & handling of correspondence - are all part & parcel of the total offering. And very often these can be sub-standard. They can throw as much bubbly & other goodies at me as they like, but it won't make up for lack of consistency, professionalism, and attention to detail in other areas.

Sometimes loyalty does not, of itself, guarantee the reaction you hope for/expect when you need it most.