If I pay someone £500 to paint all of the doors in my house, and he turns up late, I don't demand he pay me £2000 compensation. If paints 9 doors but he misses on door off I similarly don't expect £2000 compensation.
If I pay an airline €40 and it delivers the product, only 3+ hours late, somehow I am to expect ten times what I paid for the ticket back in compensation even though the airline did what I paid it to do - and get me from A to B.
I'd expect some reasonable remedy. I'd certainly knock £50 off what I pay my painter. I would not expect him to then pay me £2000 when he has in fact delivered most of what he was contracted to do.
If Ford told you your car would be delivered on Friday and it didn't turn up until the Monday, should you expect many times what you paid for the car back in compensation? After all they still provided you with a car which they've paid to produce only later than planned.
A reasonable refund or compensation for example a percent gage back or vouchers is reasonable. I don't think people are deserving of hundreds of euro just for being a few hours late.
I'm just waiting for weather to be claimable. Then just see where safety standards go. That CB on approach? Just buckle up and hope for the best. That little bit of frost on the wing? Let's not wait for the de-icer as there's a two hour wait (this really does happen). Let's just hope it'll blow off or maybe we will taxi close behind the traffic in front to see if their jet blast will melt it off.
I work for one of the most financially secure airlines in the world. We have no pressure to depart when it is not safe to do so. If I worked for a smaller outfit or one that wasn't as secure then there is a risk that corners will be cut.