Sitting in PHX waiting for AA 329 to arrive, the crew to get on a different plane and then head to PDX with me aboard.

Paid $75 for a confirmed seat on what was (at that time) showing a 20-minute delay. Delay appeared to be solely due to late inbound flight as shown on AA app. By the time I got to the airport, the inbound and pilots were both there and the delay had been pushed to 1:01 hours (3 PM departure). Asking about this at the counter, my suspicions that we were waiting on FAs was confirmed and was told they were on AA 329 EWR - PHX. Now, the inbound 329 was showing a 3:22 arrival, and at about 2:30 PM, AA changed my departure time to 3:30 PM. Nothing short of a miracle (we're talking Loaves and Fishes here) could get that plane deplaned, crew off, and then replaning - but the point is - the flight from EWR - PHX takes 4 hours. AA knew for 4 hours they would have a certain delay and they are still in denial. It's now 3:30 and AA 329 from EWR has just pulled in. If we clear the gate by 4:15, I'll be amazed.

It's not the money - it's the lyin' What's wrong with basic honesty? I know there are <redacted> out there that will tell me that AA might have been looking for a new flight crew - I buy that for the first hour of delay - but at sometime in the process, they made up their minds and there is a fixed amount of time it takes to disembark, prep a flight and load it. Just saying "it's a 4:15 departure" would have made this tolerable - not good, but tolerable.

This is a truly American thing - I mean AA, DL and UA, primarily. WN seems to be dead honest about these things. Do they think WE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH?