Fireflybob: I think what others were alluding to is the information given at the airport by the independent handling agents. I agree that captains should generally be honest with pax. Unfortunately, by the time you have the chance to explain to them they are ground raged by the lack of information or disinformation they've been fed up to then. On late arrival I always asked the agent what the pax had been told. I then corrected or confirmed it to them via a PA. As a travelling pax it was very common to hear "XYZ is late due to operational reasons. Further information in 1 hr." That tells me diddly squat and is insulting. The handling agents could well be briefed not to announce that the reason is due to airline internal problems. The pax would then have a claim. I was once delayed for 3 hours in GVA on an ez flight having been told it was due to operational reasons. I later found out it was due to lack of 1 C/A who had to be flown in on another flight. It was an internal cock-up, but the pax never knew. ATC are often the scape goats. It could have been an ATC delay from a previous sector and no SBY a/c was available. Just be honest. I've heard many, and heard of many excuses given which were simple BS allegedly just to avoid any pax claims. There can be no other reason; or perhaps the handling agent did not know and made something up. What is try I'm sure is airlines will try to pull the wool over pax eyes to avoid claims.