Originally Posted by MojaveFlyer

Seems to me, if you post a new departure time, that is the time the plane should leave. If you think you're going to scrounge up another plane (and this plane didn't miraculously appear from nowhere on the tarmac) then you leave the original time posted and tell pax that you'll probably be late but you're working on it.

Otherwise, posting the later time does no one any good, not the departing pax, not those who may be meeting them.

I flew out of ZRH this fall and a 4hr 30m delay was posted. Plenty of time to first call and change my connection while seats were still available and then spend a few hours walking around town. Left me feeling much better about sitting in Y on a TATL than if I'd been hunkered down in some airport lounge for that whole time.

I know it's not going to happen, but I would wish that if someone were stranded due to early departure that the carrier would be responsible for food / lodging until a seat was available.