Boarded the return flight from Dallas to Raleigh at 2:40. Person next to us says that a guy a few rows back has a loose armrest on his seat, and that maintenance has been called. At 3:00, the pilot announces that maintenance has been called. At 3:15, a maintenance guy shows up, looks, leaves. At 3:25, maintenance guy returns with ... a roll of duct tape. Fixes the loose armrest with careful application of said tape. At 3:35, we leave: 35 minutes late.
Also: The Dallas airport has a Fox News store. And, the smog around Dallas/Fort Worth is utterly horrid. Those two facts are almost certainly related.
Had a similar experience a few years ago on a West Cost-East Coast flight.
Some guy realizes that his chair won’t “lock in the upright position” after trying it a few times as we’re taxiing out. Flight was already late and I’m looking at him saying to myself “don’t you mention this to the flight attendant, don’t you mention this to the flight attendant, don’t you mention this to the flight attendants…” and of course he does.
Sure enough, the plane pulls of the tarmac and we’re treated to an additional hour delay as we return to the gate and two mechanics get on board to fix the “problem.” No duct tape though.