Much closer to home - within the EU - I recount my experiences today at the hands of BA:
Journey MAN-LHR-LIS (For reasons best known to themselves, TP do not fly MAN/LIS on Thursdays).
Shuttle to LHR - on time departure - arrival slightly ahead of schedule. Walk about 1/4 of a mile around T5 to reach the transfer bus to T3, (because not all BA departures are from T5!) which takes about 15 mins. Departure gate comes up (eventually) in T3, and we are sent down to a bussing gate, where the bus completely circumnavigates the building we have just left, (they've got the builders in, you see), before heading off towards the aircraft. The A320 requires three buses to take the passengers there, but pushes back on time.
Alternatives were KLM ( ridiculously expensive) LH (silly routings) and SN (poor connections). EZY starts its direct service fom LPL in a few weeks - thank God!