I've read De Crespigny's book.
Really? Then how does your pilotless scenario cope with the multiple failures that you haven't addressed? Remember that this is what you wrote in the first place:
Malfunctions: Either benign as discussed previously having zero impact on the flight or not benign requiring a non-normal situation and non-normal handling by ATC etc.
QF32's failures were hardly benign and they certainly had a big impact on the flight. You haven't stated whether you are a pilot but I will assume that you are not because any non-normal handling is not conducted by ATC. They are there to facilitate what the pilots requirements are.
You also might want to re-read the link that you posted.
An on-board pilot handled the take-off, from Warton, near Preston in Lancashire, and landing, in Inverness.
Once again if you were a pilot you would realise that the climb,cruise and descent are the easy part for the computer. Its the bit that gets the aeroplane into the air and onto the ground that will be exceptionally difficult. And before you start with the cliche"Aeroplanes can land themselves" ,airliners cannot get themselves into the air.
Its still a very long way from technology demonstrator to commercial reality. I still stand by my statement that my children will be retired before pilotless airliners are in service.