Phileas, I wonder why they do that?
Over 30 years ago I went to catch a Royal Nepal Twin Otter from a strip in the Himalayas back to Kathmandu. Checked in in one half of the departure terminal (hut!) and underwent security in the other half.
Then the check in man annouced a delay. The plane had gone to Lukla earlier and the weather had closed in and trapped it. "But will come later" he said. Everyone just shrugged and headed off down the trail to walk out (only 2 days to Pokhara) so we followed.
I've often wondered whether the "but will come later" was a deliberate lie or a cultural thing to placate the masses (all 18 of us!).