EMB 120 HAS GND HOLD DUE TO HVY RAIN AND TSTM. FLC MAKES SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT BUT ACI TAKES EXCEPTION REGARDING STERILE COCKPIT RULE.

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FAA INSPECTOR FROM RENTON; WA GOT ON ACFT AND TOLD US HE WOULD BE PERFORMING A CABIN INSPECTION FROM MCO-PNS. THIS MADE ME A LITTLE CURIOUS AS OUR POI IS OUT OF LOUISVILLE; MO. DURING TAXI WE ENCOUNTERED A TSTM WITH HVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING AND BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP. SINCE THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ALREADY SEATED AND HAD MADE HER PREDEP ANNOUNCEMENT; I MADE A PA TELLING THE PAX ABOUT OUR WX AND TO PLEASE REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED; TRAY TABLE IN THE UPRIGHT AND LOCKED POS; AND ALL CARRY ON ITEMS STOWED BENEATH THE SEAT IN FRONT OF YOU. I ALSO ADVISED THEM THAT THE REASON FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS FOR THEIR SAFETY AS WE COULD MOVE THE ACFT AT ANYTIME FOR TKOF. 30 MINS LATER I MADE THE SAME ANNOUNCEMENT AS WE HAVE HAD PAX GET UP DURING LONG DELAYS ON THE GND. WE THEN DEPARTED FOR PNS. AFTER ARR IN PNS THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME THAT HE BELIEVED OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE A VIOLATION OF 'STERILE COCKPIT' I STATED OUR COMPANY POLICY AND FLT STANDARDS MANUAL AND HE STATED HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND WOULD 'DISCUSS' IT WITH OUR POI. (IF THIS IS THE FAA'S ATTITUDE TOWARD SAFETY IT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED; THIS WOULD DISCOURAGE ANYONE FROM KEEPING THE PAX INFORMED). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE INSPECTOR. FLC FEEL THE INSPECTOR WAS JUST LOOKING FOR A RIDE HOME BUT HAD TO MAKE HIMSELF FEEL JUSTIFIED BY FINDING SOMETHING WRONG. HE WAS QUITE RUDE TO THE CABIN ATTENDANT REGARDING HER SAFETY PRESENTATION AND LATER INDICATED TO HER THAT HE COULD NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE FO WHO HAD A SLIGHT ACCENT. WHEN THE INSPECTOR COMPLAINED TO RPTR; RPTR SAID HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A RENTON; WA INSPECTOR WAS ABOARD INSTEAD OF THE LCL INSPECTOR. RPTR INDICATED THAT HE WOULD SPEAK WITH THE LCL INSPECTOR TO CHK THE VALIDITY OF THE COMPLAINT. NO MORE CONVERSATION ENSUED.