Originally Posted by
doolay
At the end of the day LH would want their paying passengers in SFO not OAK. So, if it is safe-go against the SOPS (as we all have on rare occasions), file a report, so there is a written record, have those tea and biscuits with the Chief Pilot (he'll probably give you a minor bollocking, and then quietly thank you for landing at the filed destination), discuss changes to the Company's visual approach procedures, and move on to your next flight.
If you're actively putting the commercial interests of your airline ahead of safety, and accepting that your actions will result in tea and biscuits with the Chief Pilot, you seriously need to consider how you're operating!
Without knowing any details of LH operations, if they prohibit visual approaches at night, I think credit is due to the operating crew for not being forced into an approach they didn't want to do. People may have an opinion that a commercial pilot should be able to shoot a visual, but that is neither here not there. A rushed, unbriefed approach, at night, after what I can assume is a long duty while possibly feeling the affects of fatigue is not where you want to be. So for me - credit to the flight deck for not doing something they were uncomfortable with.
In relation to how ATC handled it, some serious questions need to be asked. The LH crew made ATC aware very early on that they were requesting an ILS, so why wasn't this provided? Was the ILS unserviceable and on the ATIS? Surely a large airport like SFO has other approaches available? Why is a visual approach at night the only option to the crew particularly when the weather wasn't exactly "visual approach" weather? Why are ATC dictating what flight crew do with their aircraft?
This is my opinion - the FAA needs a complete overhaul of all its operating procedures from light aircraft, to RT, to ATC and aerodrome operations. How many catastrophic near misses has there been this year alone with runway incursions, aircraft trying to land on occupied runways in LVPs and general poor airmanship. I think it's only a matter of time, unfortunately.