Quote:
Originally Posted by jtrain609 
It's not that I don't care about the pax. not getting to their destination, but I don't care about that as much I care about not running out of gas....
.....but I've flown around a handful of thunderstorms and I've seen what can happen when they're blowing past an airport....
The whole purpose of dispatch, decision fuel and all the other rules we operate within are to mitigate risk to the maximum extent possible within the realm of operating efficiently and on time. Personally? I don't like the idea of killing all our options on a hunch that the field will clear. Our rules are there to protect ourselves from our hunches, as greaper said.
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You know John, you talk as if you have a patent on thinking a flight should be operated safely. Do you really think that the captain in your example wanted to get to your destination more than he cared about running out of fuel? Additionally, most captains have also seen their fair of thunderstorms and have probably had years of experience dealing with weather.
If the captain you so badly want to label as an idiot is in fact that bad, it says something about your system that would put him in a position to make all those horrible decisions. Have you talked to professional standards about this specific captain?
I would propose to you that most 121 captains don't make decisions on hunches or rolling the dice. In situations that become challenging, I gather as much information as I can. Some things are hard numbers and others are gathered from having seen this happen before. I may analyze 20 pieces of information before I make a decision that I think is best. On the surface a new FO may not understand, but I personally try to share with him/her some of my thinking so they feel more comfortable, but ultimately it is my decision. And by the way, some decisions I make might be seen as overly conservative to someone who would prefer to see us press on. In your original post, and with the little information I was able to contemplate, I elected to not divert right away and give it some time. Other similar situations may have me diverting not willing to hold at all. A situation like that is so unique at different times, you can't make one answer fit all scenarios.
To be perfectly honest with you John, you seem to have this attitude that reflects arrogance and an inability or unwillingness to learn from others that may know something you don't. A willingness to learn is not just reserved for the right seat either. I learn so many things from my FOs it is amazing. The reason I do is because I am willing to put the "I am captain" attitude aside and open up my ears and be willing to consider the thoughts and ideas of others. I know I have a long way to go before I am comfortable knowing all I should. In my opinion, a little humble pie on your part will take you much further than you are apt to go with your current attitude.