Perhaps 'all the fuss' is about the fact that deep down, probably most of the passengers onboard were stressed by the situation/possibility of something else developing, and for safetys sake would rather have diverted , and flown on a fully fit aircraft.
Yes,the dreaded mayday word was used, and despite their skill in making the crossing and landing safely in Manchester, a larger margin for error being allowed in the process.
Now BA pride themselves on 'safety being our main priority', but perhaps these 'untrained' passengers rightly felt that they may have been put in danger and that the 'safety priority' was being conveniently sidelined.
It's a hell of a big plane, and an engine out landing is only practised in a simulator - lifelike as it is, nothing beats the real thing... supposing their approach had 'become unstable' in their new found first 'real' experience of this situation, or the weather at Manchester had suddenly closed in - as it was doing over those few wintery days ?
People don't deny your skill or interpretation of an emergency situation, just the fact that things may have 'sailed a bit to close to the wind for comfort' ....
If the engine had failed on pushback 15 mins earlier, they woudln't have continued the flight... so would it not have been prudent to divert to somewhere else heading East rather than make an ocean crossing ending with an emergency diversion ?