> Here the airlines are doing pretty much exactly what I, as a passenger, want, which is to predictably arrive at an airport by a certain time more often.

I was flying to Edinburgh for Christmas a couple of years ago, we were slated to leave at 9pm and arrive at 9am (7 hour flight + 5 hour time difference, made sense).

Then the plane was late getting to us, and they didn't arrive until 9:30, they quickly kicked out the passengers, then the new crew climbed aboard to start cleaning. By 10pm, we were still waiting in the terminal. at 10:45, we were finally allowed to board the plane, and after a couple of minutes it backed away from the gate and taxied to the runway, where we sat for over an hour. We were the last scheduled departure, and when the plane arrived late, the de-icing crew had gone home. We didn't leave until after midnight.

And we arrived... at 8:45 am, 15 minutes earlier than scheduled.

I slept, so I'm not sure if we hit some massive jet stream, or a black hole, or what, but that was the day that I stopped believing flight times.

Edit: Took this photo[1] waiting outside the hotel for an early check-in.

1: https://megapickles.photo/2017/12/25/reflections-of-edinburg...