EnvoyBoy

Similar nonsense yesterday at ORD. UAX gate agents tell us we are delayed waiting for a FO. They even so far as to say he's based in Chicago so should be showing up at any moment. A while later they advise we are now getting our FO from an inbound flight instead. Flight lands at C and we're in F so they go ahead and board us so we can leave as soon as he/she arrives. Board and hear the same thing from the captain with an apology.

Website says delay was "aircraft preparation".

Superguy

In the past, I've taken screenshots on the flight status after the "where is the plane coming from" link. Or whatever it is they call it.

I was sitting at SLC once and the plane was coming in from SFO. I checked the status of the inbound flight and it said it was delayed for customer service reasons. I screenshotted it. UA eventually delayed the flight due to weather in DEN. I ended up missing my connection, despite the claim that all flights were shut down in DEN.

UA tried to blame it on the weather, but I had evidence to otherwise. Had the inbound flight from SFO not been delayed, we would have left on time and not been subject to the weather delay. UA ended up coughing up some sort of compensation - don't remember what.

PilgrimsProgress

I agree with the OP and the last two posts. UA stretches the bounds of logic and the meaning of words to characterize any delay as weather-related for obvious pecuniary reasons. These clowns need more oversight and strictly enforced financial penalties. Unless the weather at the departing and destination airports prevents an aircraft from operating it is not a weather-related delay. If the crew is not available or the aircraft is coming from another airport affected by weather it is not weather-related but a logistical airline issue that makes it the airline's responsibility.