Its the middle east, they ask for government ID or passport for exactly everything. Just smile and get used to it. The touristy parts of Dubai makes a lot of foreigners think the place is similar to home, its not.
With that said, the staff, where one can recruit from and what nationality the manager is also makes a huge difference. There is a reason why certain nationalities, working at the airports in the GCC, are very sought after by airline reps that need them to manage their check in desks etc.