As a pilot currently sitting at home, having been delayed by some 8 hours. I feel I can add a few comments. And believe me, all I want is to go to work. I do not relish a deep night instead of a day flight!
There are few, if any airlines with ANY spare lift capacity. This is the summer, this is the time when we are at full stretch to 'try' and make some money to keep going as a company and provide holidays to the public at the lowest price. Every single person these days seems to think they can travel the world for a penny.
Aircraft go tech, period. Pax will generally not be fed manure. But what will happen is that the playing field will constantly change behind the scenes as operations try and get the very best economical and efficient solution to the problem. Therefore, it may appear that the story changes throughout your delay. The root cause will not, but the solution may.
Believe me, there are no airlines (with the exception of biz-jets!) that can make the flight part of my holiday exciting or enjoyable. And I speak from sitting in charter and in schedule (economy/ business class). It is an unavoidable part of the package. If you wish to travel, you have to bear with it. The crew will do their best to make it as enjoyable as possible but there are limits.
As regards access to info online about your delay, I have 2 thoughts;
a. why would you want it. You have flown, experience over.
b. No company would want to give out that sort of information as much is commercially sensitive within an already cutthroat environment.
The days when people pay enough for airlines to have spare capacity floating around are long gone. It's a double edge sword. It has brought travel to people who might not otherwise have afforded it, but it has come at a price.