whle the engineers tried to sort out what was wrong (initially reported to us as a crack in a fairing but clearly more than that), and what to do about it. As it happens, they didn't replace the crew, though I was surprised by that
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What the hell do you mean "reported to us....but clearly more than that"?
It's that word "reported" that makes me want to reach for a club. The engineers(s) were somewhere in the bowels of one of the most complex machines on the planet, to find what was causing a fault indication. It's a complex process, and as professionals they would make sure that anything they did find was not concealing something else. Your safety depends on their thoroughness.
They were probably keeping in touch with the crew, not least to keep you informed rather than just sitting there nursing your many grievances. And the crew were passing on information as they got it, and good for them, so that you had some idea of what was going on.
You make it sound as they they were "reporting" to you as though you were somehow supervising their work. And then there is your petulant little phrase "clearly more than that". Do you really believe that they were with-holding some important information from you, just to annoy you? You find a fault, eg a cracked fairing, then you look for what made that happen. It can be a long process, and you are alive because engineers do that.
Others have commented, rightly, on the stupidity of expecting the B747 fairy to produce "a replacement 747" at a couple of hours notice.
I make no apologies for this ad hominem comment; I wish you luck in your pursuit of money and if you get any, which I hope you don't, I hope it chokes you. The airline got you there safely, and that requires the combined efforts of hundreds of people, yes, hundreds. It's a pity that their efforts are wasted on people who only see "Compinsayshun" whenever the opportunity offers.
I wonder if you are a banker? You sound a wit like one?