About 3 years ago, I was heading out from LHR on an AMS day trip... overcast at 400 on departure, with a prob 30 for 300 on the forecast. Now my company says I can ignore prob 30. But I didn't. Indeed, what's the difference between 300 and 200... simple, LVP's.
So I tanked for an hours holding on return, reinforced by the fact that EAT's were being sent out as we left...not drastic ones but EAT's none the less, which means over 20 minutes holding.
Arriving back at LAM, with a comfortable 1hr and 15 available for hold using contingency and holding Gatwick, we were given an EAT of 40 minutes, LHR being 200ft and LVP's. However, I heard one of our aircraft talking about not being able to cope with any movement on the EAT, so called ops, told them I was happy for an EAT swap as long as it was not beyond 60 minutes on my EAT, ie a move of 20.
They actioned it. Two aircraft who would otherwise have diverted recovered to LHR, our EAT moved about 4 times, but we left the stack at 57 minutes versus the 40 I was given originally. Comfortably in, and technically close to a commit to LHR, but as we all know STN is still available from LAM for a long time, and we were monitoring it on box two. No sweat at all, just another 17 minutes.
A fortnight later I flew with a copilot who had been flying the same day. He'd arrived just ahead of us, and hadn't the fuel to hold (they were on Cirrus) so had diverted to Luton. 2 hours on ground, then recovery with several passengers missing connections.
He had a letter in his bag from Flight Ops Management thanking him for diverting. I am not joking, it actually said words along the lines of "thank you for your efforts on such-and-such a day, we realise the decision to divert is a hard one and thank you for your sterling work blah blah blah."
I'd write out my letter verbatim.... if I ever got one. 3 diversions saved due to experience, and nothing. But you divert, you get a slap on the back.
Go figure. You don't need to carry excess extra every time, but then again, we shouldn't be given a diversion fuel for LTN via 27L that is effectively a Brookmans park plus an arrival at FL90 as reality bears no relation to that ground track at all.
What we are paid for is the interpretation, not following the orders verbatim. Unlike certain posters on this site, I do not believe Flight Ops Management know everything.
Squid