Underneath the Radar,
When being vectored at night, an IFR aircraft ... may be assigned a visual approach at any distance from an aerodrome if:
a.the aircraft has been assigned the MVA; and
b.the aircraft is given heading instructions to intercept final or to position the aircraft within the circling area of the aerodrome; and
c.the following phraseology is used to assign the visual approach:
1.“WHEN ESTABLISHED IN THE CIRCLING AREA CLEARED VISUAL APPROACH”; or
2.“WHEN ESTABLISHED ON THE VASIS/GLIDEPATH CLEARED VISUAL APPROACH”.
The circling area RT is only required when the aircraft is vectored at night. Otherwise it's business as usual. Unless the Eastern crew were under vectors, there is no need for the extra RT. AIP spells out the additional pilot requirements at night but ATC only have different requirements if they have vectored the aircraft.