411A:
It doesn't matter what you might personally question, MU3001A...as you do not have the authority, in a legal sense, to do so. All you can do is express an opinion, which can be discarded by others, without reservation.
Exactly so.
I agree that UAL would seem to have placed themselves in an awkward position in allowing the captain to remain in command of the flight to ORD, vis a vis any decision on the captain's continued employment consequent on this incident. I'm sure UAL's POI will also be taking a keen interest in what develops and any rationale put forward justifying decisions made, especially those related to the issue of operational control.
I have assumed the captain coordinated the diversion and subsequent flight to ORD with UAL dispatch, who would have had to re-dispatch the flight to ORD. It might be interesting to hear whether this was in fact the case. My understanding of the limited operational control afforded me as PIC is that should I divert for whatever reason, operational control will revert to the operator/certificate holder once I am back on the ground at the divert field. Requiring me to get re-dispatched before any subsequent flight continuing on to the original destination. If I am wrong and perhaps ignorant of some other provision under the regulations governing international ops by flag carriers I await your correction.
Regards.