From my experience not surprised you need to rock up 3 hours before. I flew 8 legs with them not so long back - and have never experienced such long-winded check-ins or so many stuff-ups in just getting folk on board a 777. The crowning glory came during the last stop in Singapore, (just for juice) A QF 747 came in after us on the gate next door, unloaded, reloaded and chuffed off while the EK pax just watched EK stuffing around from the departure lounge!
I'm back with QF.