NOD
I understand and agree with what you are saying - that the only valid criticism on legal grounds is the PAN/MAYDAY issue.
Gently I say it, I don't think that is actually the point here. I believe the point is that whilst this may have been legal, it is not an acceptable course of action because it deliberately (i.e. out of choice) uses the system to save the individual having to make a decision he would rather not make. The government have taken a similar view on runway capacity and these "abuses" of the system are not in anybody's interest. I have no desire to criticise the crew, however I think their decision to continue to Gatwick was an error.
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