Recently sat on the early AA ORD-LHR flight awaiting takeoff, Captain comes on the blower to tell us there's been some mixup with the maintenance paperwork and we'd be underway soon. I doze off. Wake up slightly later on to Captain telling us they were still trying to locate the paperwork, please be patient etc. Fifteen or so minutes later Captain tells us it's not just a paperwork problem, something wrong with an engine, we'll have to get off and book other flights.
No problem, these things happen. Yorkshireman exiting aircraft in front of me lays in to one of the cabin crew,
Yorkshireman: Why did he tell us it was a paperwork problem then keep us sitting here for 30 minutes before telling us the truth?! Totally unacceptable! etc etc.
CC: I don't know any more than you do sir, I'm happy to take you to speak to the Captain if you wish?
Yorkshireman: Nonsense, unacceptable, really poor etc etc
CC: As I say, would you like to speak to the Captain?
Yorkshireman: *mumble mumble*
CC: I thought not. Funny, isn't it? I take all the **** but nobody ever has the balls to speak to the Captain...
