Be very interesting to see what the results of a Small Claims court case on this would be.
Strikes me that we might be getting to the stage of getting so many people so upset with length of time for check in, and the sensitivity to remarks etc., that they just stop flying. An example has to be the New York - Washington shuttles where they can't get up: it sounds very much as if it's actually quicker and more convenient on that route by train. Not the way to get 'bums on seats'in airplanes, but on the other hand, getting people so fed up they won't fly does solve security problems.