So I'm on DL72 this evening. We get just short of the runway and pilot indicates there's a mechanical issue. Ten minutes later we're informed that it cannot be fixed remotely and we have to go back to the gate.

At the gate, pilot announces the issue is the Captain's entire flight yoke. The whole thing. Says it needs to be replaced, and, obviously, due to the size of it, they think it'll be at least two hours. Interestingly, he said it would be less time for them to fix it than swap airplanes.

Passengers have deplaned and are in the gate area. Gate agent comes on to give an update and says "the mechanics went to another aircraft to borrow the part and when they brought it over here they realized that it doesn't fit, so we'll need to add about another 1.5 hours to the delay (already at 2.5hrs)."

Maybe this is true, I don't know. But I wonder sometimes if there's a line between transparency and just saying, "we're gonna need a bit more time?"

Cause mechanics getting a part that didn't fit doesn't instill much confidence in paying customers.