There is a reason it states, "Pilot in Command" on an airman's certificate. In U.S. airspace, the final authority rests with the captain, not the controllers. A pilot in command can always declare an emergency when, in his or her professional judgment, following ATC instructions is unsafe. Of course, the pilot needs to be able to justify that declaration. In this case, since all airline operations are required to carry enough fuel to miss an approach at the destination, fly to an alternate airport and land, these pilots could have always just turned around and gone back to the originating airport, if in their professional judgment it was unsafe to land at a temporarily uncontrolled field. The worst thing would have been for them to run low on fuel and then have to make an emergency landing. That would exhibit poor judgment, and require a trip to the Chief Pilot's Office, and possibly a review action by the aviation regulatory authority that issued said airman's certificate.

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