Is there more to this?
I am sure that there is no doubt that this flight was safe all the way, if pilots here would have started digging for something more. And of course a single engine fire/flameout/fault/whatever is not going to bring down a plane which can return in a few minutes.
However, something seems to have happened psychologically. There is a report in papers here in Norway today that at least one passenger entered into shock, and was denied flying back by a doctor.
Again, it is claimed that the FAs were crying, and whatever is the facts about that it seems that there was genuine panic & terror in the cabin.
I can understand that you pilots donīt want to feed this thread as it was not a big thing in matters of flying & safety, but is it not worthwhile to look into the crowd management here? What if there had been a rush or commotion, it could take an ugly turn even though the aircraft never was in any danger.
I am not saying that I believe the quotes that the FAs were losing it, but nevertheless passengers seems to have got it that way - and that is not the norm with incidents like this, is it?
I think that perhaps two extra factors might be at play here:
1 - several passengers have certainly noted that they were flying Airbus, and had an irrational but genuine, probably hidden, fear because of that.
2 - perhaps the engine fire was not of a type that the FAs have been briefed/trained for? I donīt know what they are taught, but if there was a fuel overflow that lead to 10 meter long flames - then they might have felt that this really was something sinister... And we people are really good at seeing the fear in others, even though they try to hide it...
My interest in this comes from always having a keen interest in how people in general function, and also as groups. I have had jobs where management of groups/crows/passengers has been key, and has also had a few interesting experiences in that matter.
What do you say - should an incident as this be handled better next time, after learning something about this one?