Originally Posted by kick the tires
But you have answered the whole issue really ..."never mind one covered in a blanket of snow"
Why do you think the other dozen or so aircraft waiting to depart called it a day?
You have obviously never operated in North America. Landing on snow covered runways is not unusual. One has to be aware of what contamination is actually there. This is not done with glibly sitting in a skidding car. It is getting out and kicking the snow to see what is underneath and assessing depths. Something I have done more than once. I also inspected my own wings or had another pilot do it if I had any doubts as to upper wing ice. It's how you act like a professional!
Of the other dozen aircraft calling it a day, I would be inclined to wonder whether they made any attempt to personally assess the situation
if their Ops manual so permits or whether they may have followed a herd instinct and ducked the decision! But to slate the Captain like you did was wrong.