Fencehopper, that attitude is starting to prevail in Europe too. You can head on down to the platform 10 minutes before departure. Non of this allowing 90 minutes for the BS that is between the front door of the airport and the front door of the aircraft.
Time poor people can actually save time in Europe on high speed trains, that is why they are becoming flavour of the month. Here in this country we cannot agree that a high speed rail between Melbourne and Sydney is a necessity not a luxury. Yes there are hills in the way, especially to go via Canberra but guess what, Europe has mountains not hills and they manage.
It takes about two hours to drive Sydney - Canberra right? So allow a thirty minute drive to the airport followed by a forty five minute check in and a thirty minute flight and ten minutes to get off and get your bag and we a mission time of ...two hours. Only by flying there you have no means of transport at your disposal when you arrive, however you may be better rested.
The harder we keep making the "avaition experience" the more attractive the other options start to look.