With all the WX on the east coast tonight, a couple friends have been posting on Facebook while their flights are delayed and held for ground stops.

One mentioned that the FAs on her flight were going down the aisle getting votes from pax on whether to wait on the apron or go back to the gate and deplane.

Seems to me that this would be a decision for ATC or the captain or the airline, but passengers wouldn't/shouldn't really have any input. If that's right, then what was going on here? Something to pass the time and help make a planeful of delayed pax feel marginally better about a WX delay?

I simply find it hard to believe that the decision to return to gate would actually be loose enough to just say, "Aww, heck. What do all y'all want to do?"

Just because they are being asked doesn't mean they have any say in the decision. They could be just getting a feel for what the passengers want should it come that a decision needs to be made.

From what the friend was saying, the FAs took a count, announced that the plane had "voted" to return to gate, and they began taxiing back to the gate moments later. They ended up deplaning and then reboarding a couple hours later.

In general, who does make that decision, when there isn't some external factor forcing it (crew time out, 3 hour rule, etc.)?

Psgrs voting, one of the stupidest things I've heard ATC releases planes early all time that hold off the gate. Go back to gate & deplane miss atc wheels up flight cxld end of story. Happens more times than I could ever count in all my years with the airlines.

The dispatcher and captain jointly.