Here we finally have a quantified cost of a diversion to the airline -- $188,000 (albeit for an air rage incident rather than a terrorism false alarm). Obviously this is just one very specific incident, but it gives you an idea of the approximate costs involved.

Can we ever hope that the airlines will try to recoup such costs from paranoid FAs, pilots, and/or FAMs when they force a diversion over a bottle of water?

Keep in mind that not one single "security" diversion since 9/11 has turned out to be an actual threat, IIRC. Every single one has been a false alarm. Multiply that by $188,000 and you have to ask, why do the airlines and passengers have to pay for the inconvenience and real financial costs rather than the airline employees and government employees who are repetedly crying wolf?

Is it really "better to be safe than smart"?