CRR,
I'm sorry not to have answered your questions. As you are aware a thesis is a very complicated and researched process. Your questions cannot be answered on an individual basis. There are many procedures that effect performance for both pilots and controllers, not forgetting mangement and ground staff. I cannot expand any further. Please send me a PM if you want to discuss.
Let me point out to you all a recent incident which I have benn looking at.
AIRTRANSAT fuel leak, was nearly ditched into the pond. Thank God it never happenned. What was the cause? Failure to fit the wrong part in the engine, what follwed from this? Bad crew management. Luckily they were diverted 60 miles south of the original track which meant that they could, or were enable to, glide enough to reach the Azores and land.
This "incident" was a near catastrophe. It all boils down to human factors, which started at the beginning.