Dear ANKH:
I was born in San Francisco, I must remind you that the streetcars don't have slots...it is the cable cars that have slots, and the slots allow a grip to latch on to the cable to move the car. but there have been times the grip has ripped loose from the car.
It would be quite easy to serve passengers with hand held trays...double the number of FA's, and have stores located throughout the plane.
I praise the crew for realizing that any suspicion of aircraft problem deserves an immediate landing. IF this airfield was the first place, other than the ocean, then the crew did the right thing by landing there. A nation as large as Australia certainly has the facilities for the transportation of injured patients. The Royal Flying Doctors, God Bless them, has been known to this american since I was a boy of 7, now 52.
I do doubt that the plane lost 4000m. It might have felt that way, but if they lost more than 2000feet, I'd be very surprised.
Captain and Crew of this flight, good job for getting down in one piece. It is very likely that your actions insured that the plane's structure was not pushed that extra distance to Perth.
I hope the plane is thoroughly inspected for stress before any further flying.