CX doesn't always have their own staff at all airports. BKK is one sore point as all ground arrangements are handled by THAI airways staff and CX only has a skeleton crew handling major stuff. I would think that DXB would be handled by EK staff too and hence the bureaucracy.

I've had my bags go missing in London and Paris, which the ground handling is by by American Airlines. They're just as useless as BKK. They have no tracking system (which I have no comment on)... and in the end it was British Airways who came to the rescue in BOTH cases.

CX of course at HKG is good. But that's their home port.. I have to admit that I find SQ staff generally better trained though to handle emergencies.