Originally Posted by
tgsh2006
I was not playing 'armchair' skipper. I was asking a genuine question as a layperson. Someone else (politely) provided an answer. My interest was based on having flown HKG/LHR only a few nights ago and I would have been non too pleased to have ended up (for example in DXB) when the aircraft was on the 'border" of Europe. Hence my curiosity. Of course, diversions etc are the call of the PIC (who needs no advice from laypersons). That said, I am perfectly entitled to make a valid inquiry but thanks for putting me in my place!
I didn't think you were playing armchair skipper but that's the problem with text versus voice. "Why did they do that?" without voice inflection can either mean 1) why in the world would anyone do that? or 2) I want to understand more, just out of curiosity sake, why they would do that?
I really appreciate the ones that are willing to satisfy my curiosity, which it sounds like you do too.