I would never have gone to the airport that night myself so I do understand the idea that walking into a tornado is a bad idea.
It sounds to me like you're blaming the victims.
I do not think he is. People in one context often perceive things differently than those in another especially when they are used to that. That would be like saying people in California or BC (where he is) who are less concerned about earthquake are at fault if they get hurt. Nothing he has said before suggests victim blaming either. But I do think that people who were responsible would have sought assurances and presume that they got them. Somehow those assurances turned out to be incorrect to say the least.