Dear The Passenger,
As an airline pilot, I personally appreciate that you value yours and others safety as a priority when flying. This is a very good thing, and nomatter what other contributers have said, most of which is valid and true I must add, I value that.
However, it does seems to me that you don't know the meaning, the DEFINITION, of "safety".
Let me give the definition for you, which one learns on he first day of any Msc in Safety.
"Safety is a CONDITION of a relative absence of danger".
In my professional view as a Safety expert (in former life as Maritime officer) and current Boeing pilot, The condition was not compromised as there were still enough redundant systems. The condition was still so that there was no high chance of risk. So, in the beginning of the flight, and for most of the flight it seems, there was an absence of danger. The danger only came when fuel levels became too low for a safe landing at the planned airport.
Hence, the condition changed, as the relative absence of a danger changed into a relative RISK that a dangerous situation could occur should the pilots continue to the planned destination.
It should be clear from the earlier definition, that complete safety is an utopia.
It is not even wishful, as it is not human.
Risk management is a vital role in the safe operation of any flight.
This is what we are trained for. This is what the guys on that BA B744 did.
Despegue