In my 44 years, there was a 2 year period when I was in the Flying Doctor where there COULD have been possible pressure, but wasn't. To repeat some of 411A's words - "If I said 'NO', that was the end of discussion
You boys have 14 years on me, but at 30 years in this business I'm hoping that my opinion still counts for something. I also did the "Flying Doctor" thing, and agree that there could have been pressure. Fortunatly, during that 30 year period I can't recall a time when "No" didn't mean exactly that.
However, things are changing. I don't mean any disrespect, but the folks who really "Grew up" in this business are becoming fewer and fewer.
I've watched so many new arrivals into this game enter directly into large aircraft that some of the "older folk' waited decades to operate. How? Self-sponsered schemes which are financially beneficial to the airline, and only the airline. Albeit, the vast majority of these involved the low cost operators (Tiger's, Jetstar's, Easyjet's, Ryanair's, etc).
Back to the topic. When I was a young F/O, I sat next to captains who were typically in their late 50's; had experience up the whazoo; and knew their jobs so well that they could ACTUALLY explain it to our grandmothers so that they understood! Moreover, they had learned through the decades WHEN and HOW to say, "No". That knowledge was passed down to those of us who were privileged to have worked with these gentlemen.
I'm not convinced that the knowledge transfer exists today as it did then, since we now have 2000 hour self-sponsored captains, passing down their experience to 400 hour self-sponsered F/O's. Again, I don't mean to sound disrespectful or condescending, but where is the knowledge transfer coming from now?
Interestingly, it's also a double-edged sword. The recent incident at JFK, IMHO, demonstrates a blatant abuse of this "final authority" (based on the known details).
Just my nickels worth.