As you say no passenger has the right to goad a crew member, however empathy for the passengers aggravations (the delay etc.) and professional response befitting smoothing over the whole sorry incident...a smile, a joke, a 'sorry ladies and gentleman' and a 'free drink courtesy of the Captain, crew and company' announcement goes a hell of a long way...in my experience of similar situations that would have been a happy and content 300 pax. on their way home...who would have had good memories of VS and that delayed flight...
If the crew were not aware of the circumstances of the flight (which I think it would be highly unusual and very unfair to themif they had not been briefed, but that we dont know) then they should have been as the 'TLC' procedures are order of the day
