Blackace
You say "Not a friking clue about the real world."
In the real world, service providers are expected deliver what they promise.
With the unique security regs, a large airline who seems to be constantly under the threat of strike action and an airport operator which is frequently cited as failing to deliver appropriate service levels, London is becoming top of the list of places to avoid changing flights.
The chickens will come home to roost and the UK is p*ssing away its competitive advantage as the gateway in/out of Europe, thanks to an attitude that the massess will have to accept what they are given.
As 411A would say, it ain't so and some folks will only find out the hard way.