Originally Posted by
MOC991
They'd usually be hard to forget since you run through a checklist that has them on it, and they are required for commercial flights in the US for night landings by the FAA. I don't see anything about them being required by ICAO for landings so I guess it is correct that they aren't required in France. Its more likely they intentionally left them off or there was an issue with them than them forgetting.
Here in Europe it is not mandatory and although I'm not a pilot for BA, I'm pretty sure landing lights is not a checklist item. They are also not required for a daytime flights and the aircraft can be dispatched with them unserviceable.
Perhaps they just forgot and once again I can't speak for BA but at my company it is personal preference when they go on. We do have a procedure where we switch the taxi and turnoff lights on when selecting the gear down and it is at this point the landing lights tend to come on as well if we haven't switched them on beforehand.
It should be noted that on the Airbus they are retractable lights so switching them on at high speeds causes a noticeable rumbling and vibration on the airframe. Many don't notice it but those who are in the know will feel it!