I think the issue isn't so much the fact that they took a while to cancel the flight, but the fact that they did it in the middle of the night, resulting in inability to deliver alternative arrangements.

Obviously the incident was completely out of EK's control, and to their credit they did arrange a hotel. A bus isn't really that expensive to arrange in the scheme of things, so presumably they simply couldn't find one in the middle of the night.

The issue is inadequate planning for/during IRROPS at outstations.