Why airlines suck

I can't stop thinking about that southpark episode where Mr. Garrison invents a fast method of travel that is less terrible than dealing with airline companies. Without going into too much detail, the device employs anal-rape power and sells faster than anyone would expect. Thank god the US congress steps in, putting Mr. Garrison out of business to protect the airline industry. I'll skip over the ass thing and just make the point that my ladyfriend and I are missing at least two days of work (each) while incurring the cost of hotels, food, transportation (a needless trip to the airport and out), and other.
Well, to be fair to (should I? yeah) DELTA AIRLINES, they did give us a courtesy call to alert us of our canceled flight. After already being at the airport for about two hours and while talking to a ticket agent about how there were no planes to leave and no flights anyway, we got a call telling us not to get on the plane, that wasn't there, that was originally supposed to leave in less than five minutes.
Then a lot of other shit happened, flights changed a bunch of times, a quest to find a working Delta number (they officially state that they do not have enough phone lines to deal with weather changes), then a two hour on-hold session, and...
They win. I'll get home when they say so. Broke, tired, and beaten.

Gee, I hope congress gives these guys a few billions...