The best and most relevant post on this thread yet!!!
Well said TRSS.
Gentlemen, the essential point in the whole argument is being overlooked. Did Pablo endanger the aircraft?
The essential part in the whole argument is, "Did Paul/Pablo Mason have the company's permission to break their rules, had he checked and obtained the OK for a departure from the SOPs?
As a commercial captain he is
never expected to endanger the aircraft, (or passengers,) so, if already under a double warning, he chose to not take the rather obvious but less public route and instead flaunt himself and flaunt the rules it is difficult to find any sympathy for him.