X-Centric
Forgive me. I do not wish to pooh-pooh some very obvious concerns that you have. However, to suggest that crews are running round almost paralysed with fear from making a safe or correct decision due to the conversation they may or may not have on the ground when they get back is somewhat stretching it a bit.
I would venture the "PM often on this route" remark was supposed to be a comic throw-away add-on.
I would also like to add that on another similar occasion to the one you described, (except that at 2,500ft when the Captain went back to have a look, there was no visible leak) the crew made a precautionary diversion into BOH. The fault (a popped fuel vent valve - doing what it was supposed to) was rectified, the aircraft refuelled and off they went. No rants. No tea and biscuits. Not even a phone call asking them to justify their actions. Nothing. Not that day, not the next nor in the weeks that followed.
We are grown up people, capable of making grown up decisions and as pilots (both left and right seat), that is what we are employed to do. That is what PM employs us to do. You can't really imagine that in the drive for the dollar, he would be happy for the crews he employs to take risks that would see his baby sent to the wall. So what if he rants from time to time. It's his train set. We are supposed to be big enough and ugly enough to look beyond that (I certainly cover one those requirements
).
Trust me, as someone who has faced it, if he's wrong or if you have justified your decision, he will apologise, admit his mistake, thank you for your decision/vigilance/hard work and be the first to get in the round at the bar afterwards.
I'm sorry that you feel unable to stay in what I find to be a very happy working environment and have done for many years.
I wish you the best.
Trippy
edited for typos - late night!