I recently saw a video where ATC made a mistake and nearly let two planes get too close (one landing, another taking off, on crossing runways). They caught it in time (some ATC automated checking system was still doing its announcement as the controller saw and diverted them both) but hearing that as a passenger, I can imagine the panic that's not going to help anyone.
Don't know if that is the reason, or if that's even a legitimate reason (it's about your life after all, even if you're powerless to save it), but I could imagine that being a consideration.
That reminds me about that one JetBlue emergency landing where passengers could watch their own plane attempt a landing.
IIRC, the flight attendants disabled the system right at landing to prevent presumed panic. That decisions amusing to me since there’s a 15-30 second delay with satellite TV anyway. I can’t imagine there was a true opportunity for passengers to see anything scary in this scenario.
Reading your comment, my flippantly ironic thought was that it's just as well real life isn't delayed from the satellite TV; that could really cause some panic in the cabin!
I do some minor piloting myself and I don't think those things go unreported often. Maybe uncontrollable dirt airports -- yes, sure.
But in class Bravo, with hundreds of souls on board, when all transmissions are recorded and public, and multiple plane watchers listen to them in real time -- not a chance.
Have an air traffic controller tell you that your about to die would seem unlikely to be a panic inducing event. The level of calm in utter carnage is very much a thing. I’d prefer not to test this theory.
Don't know if that is the reason, or if that's even a legitimate reason (it's about your life after all, even if you're powerless to save it), but I could imagine that being a consideration.