Do we have to wait for the AAIB? I was planning to wait for the report in the Sun.
As for the meal break issue, for those who have been asking, Flybe do usually build an additional 15 minutes into a turnaround during the day when crew meals are provided, but where the duty day involves sectors over 90 mins (I think), then meals are expected to be taken in flight. Many of the trips into central or southern France on the Q400 fall into that category.
It's far from ideal, especially for the cabin crew on the Q400, and it does mean that effectively the a/c is single pilot and single CC operation for the 30 minutes that 2 seperate breaks would require. The reality is that the CC very rarely ever have a break (and on a full flight to somewhere like PGF, they often don't get the chance even if they wanted to), and the flight deck eat together in the cruise with their workload split as required.
I have to say I have never heard of any FD taking a meal break in the cabin, and I find it difficult to believe that anyone would be happy to agree to that situation on a short haul flight. That said, I'm equally sure many people would never do any of the dumb things that I have done in my career. There but for the grace of God and all that jazz.......
