Just as far as depressurization goes anyway, it's way overrated. Hollywood is populated by people with the IQs of dried trout, not that that should surprise anyone.
There was actually an airliner that managed to land safely after a 10 or 15 foot diameter hole was blown in the hull by a bomb. A lot of passengers died from the blast, obviously, but the pilot and co-pilot were able to land. And no one got sucked out, all the bodies were there.
Also, a news conspiracy makes no sense. Any smart person takes a non-American airline any time they possibly can. I know a guy who took a business trip to Hong Kong, so he did the smart thing and took an HK airline. No extra charge for transporting a machine prototype in a crate that weighed a few hundred pounds. No extra charge for 3 extra carry-on bags. The in-flight meal was free, and tasted like an ordinary Chinese buffet. They wheeled the drinks cart past once an hour, and all drinks, including booze, were 100% complementary. The in-flight movie was free, and the headphones to listen were right there by every seat. All that for the price of a ticket. Which was less than the ticket alone on a domestic flight, before they even add on the ridiculous fees.
If you're traveling within the USA, either take a train, or fly to Mexico and back on a Mexican airline (Mexico's airlines are reputed to be quite good). You would, frankly, have to be a complete moron (or utterly ignorant of your options) to take a domestic airline. Stories of attempted bombings of trains and Mexican planes would have more of an effect on travel, most likely.
Anyway, I'd write the guy's behavior up to "indecisive idiot" and leave it at that.