JanetFlight, Pax
often know better!!!
Used to fly single pilot to an island often suffering fog even in Summer. Trick, be patient, wait on the ground and then go once the clearance had started! One typical day, sauntered into the Gate and briefed Pax in person for the reason for the delay. I always liked to do that if I could - it saved the Gate staff getting grief.
As I was leaving a rival flight was called to board for a flight to the destination and a gent in a suit followed me out and had a right go at me as to why they were going and we weren't. I finally ended it by suggesting he take it up with Head Office and that I was going to have a coffee until conditions started to improve and that he should do so too.
As expected the other aircraft sat in the hold at the destination before finally diverting back for more fuel.
Cue clearance starting at the destination so I went to deliver the good news to my Pax and, as I was about to leave the rival plane landed outside. Cue irate gent, now furious - "Look, they've been and they are now back and we've had to sit here wasting time! You call yourself a pilot???!". "Sir, if you check, the people who left here an hour ago on that plane are still on that plane but they had to come back for more fuel as they were running out!". I watched him dash off ....
When at the aircraft he came up to me "I'd really like to apologise! You clearly made a good decision and I'm really glad we were relaxing on the ground having coffee [no in-flight catering!] and not in the air. I've learned a lesson today and I'm really sorry for earlier!". "No problems Sir, I'll get you there shortly now conditions are improving! Don't worry about it!" As I suspected, he'd been to the rival check-in who confirmed they hadn't got in!
What he didn't know it was the first time I'd prayed to the weather-god to delay the weather clearance ..... which he/she/it did to absolute perfection!!!!
