RE: Being customer oriented.

To my believe, the degree of customer orientation applied by an airline is very much connected to the amount of competition.
In the Middle- and Far East are competitive area’s.
F.i. Emirates must compete locally with a.o. GulfAir, Saudi Arabian and Qatar Airways, Air India and PIA to the Indian Subcontinent and with BA and Lufthansa on their key European flights.
As a relative newcomer, they had to do better, otherwise they would never have survived.

Next, to which passenger they orientate themselves?
Best on board cuisine, best wine cellar in the sky? it is the high-yield passenger flying C or F class.
Emirates successfully built up a very good image, absolutely true.
However, comparing the C-class seating in the A330, EK provides 7 abreast while less glamourous GF provides 6 abreast seating, at roughly the same seatpitch.
In this case, the room (especially at night flights) counts much more than the refinement of the meals and the choice of exclusive wines…..

Alas, as many customers, as many opinions, it is hard to satisfy all!