Are there rules about passenger going in cockpit during ground stop.
Flying yesterday to ORD. We were allowed to board then about 1/3 way into boarding they announced we all had to get off plane because of a ground stop at ORD because of high winds. By rule could not stay on plane.
Myself..and my brother in law were helping our father in law get across country and he needed a wheelchair in all stops. So while we waited on plane until the WC arrived to get him back off plane, my brother in law who is an amateur pilot himself of very small planes (turbo props etc) struck up a conversation with the Captain and was invited into the cockpit. I was personally was shocked... But happy for BIA since it probably made his year.... The WC finally came and I wheeled my FIA off plane but BIA stayed on plane in cockpit for another 15-20 min....basically being showed what all the controls do...
He came out 20 minutes later and he was in heaven of course...but I was really surprised he was allowed in the cockpit...even on a ground stop...
I assume there are different rules at the discretion of pilot in this situation?