I agree with you for the most part. I don't agree with restitution though. We will gladly give you a refund if the ticket is refundable. But the facts are: you are aware (or should be) of potential problems whenever you travel whether it is on the road or in the air.
If you are driving down the highway and your car gets a flat, do you demand the manufacturer of your car your money back because of a delay in your journey? If it is a potential health issue with that model car then most of us probably would and their is nothing wrong with that. The airline is taking every step to insure your safety so that the "flat" does not occur while in the air.
Still, you are right about the other issues and I encourage you to file complaints with the headquarters of the airline you flew with and file one to Washington D.C.. Things have been out of hand and unless the consumer does something, things may continue down this path. Complaining here or to an employee will get you nowhere. Good luck to you.
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/travel_problems/consumer_hotline/ for complaints regarding safety issues.
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm for complaints about your journey