You've got too much spare time, Slash!!
Enlightening post for our pax...I wonder how many of you were aware that many of the longer, long haul flights depart with less than the required fuel, as described in the SIN-LHR scenario [by Slasher], and do enroute re-calculations, based on remaining fuel, and actual wind. Hence, the traffic, weather, and the controlling, at the destination usually gives us the reason for all our whinging and moaning...5 minutes delay can start to look "interesting", and a go-around - because the preceding aircraft is too slow to clear the runway [landing, or taking off] is guaranteed to have the adrenalin pumping, at the end of a long flight.
But fuel [or lack of] isn't as much a concern, as the standard of flying. Unfortunately, in many of the non-western countries, there is a strong cultural ingraining, that makes it difficult [bad etiquette] for a subordinate to question the captain's decision[s], and for the captain to accept opinions that conflict with his. While everything is "on the rails", and running as planned, it will run like clockwork - but introduce one or more non-routine factors, and the lateral thinking capability will, more often than not, be found lacking. This seems to have been a major factor in Korean Air's, and most of the Chinese airlines' accidents. Garuda's, I feel [the Fukuoka, and Medan accidents], were more a lack of indiscipline, and situational unawareness.