Apple makes you WORK HARD for your Mountain Lion upgrade

Question

Mountain Lion was launched on 25th July. I bought a new Macbook Air on 11th July, with the promised upgrade. I did not realise that Apple was going to make me work so hard to get the upgrade, which I still don't have up till now. Lesson learnt - next time, I should wait till the launch of a new OS to get the new OS rather than wait for an upgrade.
The waiting time would mean I'll get a new computer with the OS installed at the same time as I would have if I had ordered it on 25th July, without the work.
My note to Apple feedback below posted for everyone's benefit, seeing that Apple states they don't respond to the feedback they receive.
---- Note to Apple feedback ---
I had to use my Apple ID to create an account and order a new MacBook Air, which I did on 11th July. I received the item and waited for the Mountain Lion upgrade which is promised as free.
I did not realise that Apple was going to make me work to get the upgrade. It would have been easier to just wait for the upgrade before buying your product.
Why is it necessary to go through such a convulated application process to get the mountain lion upgrade?
Why is Apple asking for information such as what I ordered (which qualifies for the upgrade), if it is in my Apple ID account and you already knew that 10.8 would be available on 25th July?
Why do I need to re-submit my hardcopy order chit (which by the way, was disposed upon receipt of the Macbook)and other documentation to prove my purchase?
This has inconveinced me greatly as I had to find a scanner to scan the document for submission.
This seems a rather antiquated and bureaucractic process for a company which is supposed to be on the technological edge, and which is delivering the OS to me using MY DATA PLAN and not providing me any hardcopies to justify the additional work required on my part.
So far, I have wasted 1 hour to make the claim ... and now I am told I have to wait at least 72hours to get the key, at which point it will probably take me another few hours to install the OS.
Which also means that I will also be receiving the new OSX at least 5 days after its launch - as late as it would have been if I had just waited till 25th July to order the mac.
Kindly review your processes.

Answer 1

I decided to make a second application last night with the invoice printed from the online store just in-case the first set was rejected.
Well, this morning - both claims came back rejected. The first one on the basis the scan was not clear (huh ?) ... and the second because my mid-2012 (july) Macbook 13" air does not qualify for the upgrade. huh ??
I called the help line and they are as puzzled ... so they said they will escalate it. From what they can see in the system, it should have gone through. Given its now the weekend, it will be another 3 days of delay at the least.
It's almost as if they have created mounds of bureaucracy for nothing, to make their customers jump through hoops.
I really should have stuck to ordering it with 10.8 installed... it was just waiting another week. Big regret.
Now I am stuck in an endless array of form submissions, online forms, talking to Apple support ... waiting ... waiting ... waiting. ..