Crosshatched,
Fair enough, and far be it from me to second guess a highly paid Captain
, but I've come across more than a few flightcrew who assume that because there is no NOTAMed closure,
both of our runways will
always be open to landing aircraft, and thus think that committing to LHR is a far safer proposition than divving out. I'm saying that often it's not.
Human Factor,
No idea to be honest on the timescale of hearing about a decrease in RFF category. I'll ask in work tomorrow. I think in the situation you describe, someone 'piling in to' a runway, the airport would effectively close as part of the crisis response. Depends on your definition of 'committed', I guess.
We all know the rule that an aerodrome is unable to accept aircraft more than two categories above the declared RFF category, with various exceptions.....one of them is in an emergency situation. Now that
would be ironic!