Would that it were that simple...
Quote from BOAC:
"Old age and experience wil overcome youth and bullsh!t" as they say.
[Unquote]
As an old fart, and a retired one at that, I have much sympathy with your sentiment. It's off the particular topic of the airfield in question, but in respect of the discussion it draws attention – as did manrow a few days ago, to an "elephant in the room".
DC-ATE says: "If enough of you divert, maybe something will be done". But, in relation to this specific discussion, he adds a caveat: "On the other hand, if it's not as bad as some here are indicating, then all these posts are for naught." By doing so, he encapsulates the dilemma that always faces you in this type of situation. Despite the unacceptable deficiencies, is it going to be safe for us to proceed this time?
And, if it is, but I decide to divert or cancel on a matter of principle – to the inconvenience of our passengers and the expense of the airline – how is it going to help when 60 other captains decide to proceed that morning from divers companies, maybe including one or two from my own, and land without recorded incident?
They are hardly going to admit later to having compromised the safety of their flights by proceeding. The fact that all of them may be younger, and with fewer hours than I have, will not persuade my management that – far from being a dinosaur or having lost my nerve and/or judgement – I was behaving responsibly and proportionately, in the light of superior knowledge and experience.
On the contrary, I am likely to find myself greeted less warmly than usual next time I share a briefing console with one of my management pilots, or even one of the ambitious union representatives. The same may apply the next time I meet my co-pilot, even though he supported me warmly and solidly on the day. My flight report and MOR are likely respectively to be relegated to the bin and categorised as a low risk. Anything for a trouble-free life... In the unlikely event that there should be an incident subsequently, they will pass the buck. And even I may start to wonder: "did I over-react?" and "have I done more harm than good?"
Something about the loneliness of command springs to mind.