Whether it is "safe..." or not is not determined by the fact that no accident occurred. Fact is there is a fair chance that a non pilot in the seat is hardly an increase in safety for the other 100+ passengers.
That is the main issue here. Character is what people do when others are not looking. Did the rest of the passengers have a say in letting a non pilot play with their conveyance? Did the pilots tell the company, or the regulator that, amongst the many other rules that are provided for the regulation and occasionally safety of the system, they elect to follow some when it pleases them? If you don't like the rules, campaign to change them, or get out of the industry. If passengers want to fly aircraft, then they have the right to pay money to the training schools, and go get trained, or join the military and learn for free.
What other rules are just suggestions to the crew?
