1. From the videos it looks like the landing was on Rwy 06. Through the window you can see the international terminal, a couple of parked aircraft and also the single taxiway. So, yep, ILS 06 not available - another factor to deal with. If the weather was ok (looks like it was) then a visual approach is probably the go, as opposed to a VOR app. Perhaps this is where the media have come up with comments like "flew by instinct"?
2. Sounds like they didn't use reverse on landing? Smart thinking - will file that one away for myself - who knows what damage had been done and what reverse may add to.
3. The various suggestions that the aircraft was closer to HKG than MNL may come from the idea that normally you are still climbing when reaching/passing FL290 and thus would be closer to departure a/p. However, anyone who flies that route knows that you often get held down to FL290 ex HKG and can be cruising there for a long time. So I don't doubt MNL was the closest decent airport - suggestions that the crew dismissed a nearer option such as HKG for
cost reasons are amongst the most outrageous, disgraceful comments I've ever read on PPrune.
4. Similarly, various comments around on PPrune that the crew just "performed in accordance with their training, what's the big deal?" are similarly outrageous and obviously are made from non-pilots. A bang, deco, no a/p's, structural integrity in doubt; and as you start the Recalls you'd be wondering whether this thing is going to hold together. Pucker Factor Rating: HIGH. Well done, boys, for keeping it all together. I hope I could do as well in the same situation.
5. And - there is a 50:50 chance the S/O
would have been in one of the seats. Without labouring the specifics, that's the last sector the boys will fly together before returning to SYD, and last chance for the S/O to "get" a sector. I don't have any info on what did occur, but either JB or BW may well have jumped out of his seat on climb ex HKG and S/O jumped in. If so, "well done" to the S/O also.
6. As for what caused the problem, who knows? Can't investigate it via the internet from the other side of the world, or from reading the media, so I'll leave it to the real experts to discover.
7. Up the track, we're already nick-naming JB "Boom Boom Bartels".....
Great team effort, guys, you make us proud. Well done.