Truth...
Truth is not always fact. Aircraft swaps happen all the time, as well as the person who makes the call for the departure time may post an early time hopeing for an aircraft swap (it beets posting a later time, getting the swap, and having no passengers at the gate to board, and leaving with an empty plane.)

Mechanicals of a "lav" while working on a wing. Who is to say the wing may have been worked on while the lav was. Maybe the wing issue was a deferable item, and the lav was not?

Passengers who demand to know the TRUTH, even the most savvy passengers would not understand all of the complexities that goes into quoting a departure time. ATC delays are perfect example. FAA quotes a wheels up time for a 13:00 dptr at 17:35. UA anticipates (based on past ATC delay experience) that they may get a "move up" to 15:00. UA posts a 15:00 time...maybe it rolls to 17:35...maybe to 19:00, but if they are not ready for 17:35, then that slot goes to AA or another UA flight...one that is prepared. ON the other hand, it is safer for the passengers to have a delay EXTEND, then to be reduced. The easy update page that says your flight is delayed 5 hours causes you to not show up to the airport. A new crew/aircraft/slot is found earlier, and they move the time up to on time...you can't get to the airport in time, and you are furuious that the plane left earlier than was sent to you...and you have the page stored to shove in the agents face.


The "system" is broke, but it is pretty good...the obvious fixes may cause more harm then good.