Perceptions of what constitutes a really serious "beyond our control" situation are very different between the front office drivers, frequent flyers and the "SLF" sitting down the back in the cheap seats.
I have sat through prolonged turbulence knowing that we were simply bouncing along in the efflux of another jet that was a few miles ahead of us on the airway. Passengers without that knowledge tend to believe that they are on the edge of disaster and are preparing to meet their maker.
On a trans-oceanic flight we were once denied entry around 56/10 due to a defective INS and were forced to return to Heathrow. Many pax did not understand that this is a situation where nothing serious had occurred and were scrutinising every part of the interior and exterior of the aircraft to see if the pilot was in fact lying, and we were all "doomed".
When the fuel dump started from the wing tips the shouts went up "We're on fire", I was reassuring a number of pax in my area by explaining that the aircraft was simply dumping fuel to get down to landing weight. I ended up holding an old ladies hand for almost 2 hours until the wheels were back on the ground.
In the situation described in previous posts, even seasoned flyers would have been considering their options. Consequently, I am inclined to see the judgement as being appropriate to the level of fear and anguish among the passengers and crew, not just the front office, and not just the act of endangering the aircraft. I'm sad that it occurred with the pilot, who will, I am fairly sure, get over the fear a lot faster than his pax.
Finally to say that many members of the RAF and other services are as uncomfortable and fearful of flying as any who "bus" it down to Ibiza every year.
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