Pool:
Let's for a moment go along with the situation that a wrong figure was set up in the box and not picked up (for this incident or others that happened).
What can lead to such errors?
2. Second reason is overload and overcrowding of the cockpit during preparation, leading to serious distraction. Now having the loadmaster, mechanic, purser, company representative already trying to bring in their priorities, the poor two sods only block space and bring in distraction. As much as I like 4 more eyes during T/O, Ldg or emergencies (which is NOT possible inflight with the crap EK set up!! because they are stuck in the back!!), as much do I like a calm cockpit during preparation and all kinds of calculations, so as to NOT screw up these things.
3. Time for preparation is another factor. As EK does not provide its crew with company laptops, nor provides them as a standard with internet access (home or abroad), this leads to receiving the figures, notams, WX etc. and access to charts upon arrival on the aircraft only. We all know that the stress only starts then. A thorough preparation going through all that stuff might be easily disturbed by too many sods hanging around. Sending the flight info to the hotel would allow studying during transport, as the really cheap variant, but not even this is done by EK.
Are you guys not able to access the (Lido?) flt plan in the hotel room prior to departure ?;( assuming room inet is free -(company agreement ) and working ok-not always the case these days).
In my outfit, the CFP is available for viewing online generally 3 hours before departure, (with a cross check of the latest plan # once on board )and I try to make a point of having a look if possible (long haul ) before leaving the room, also same at home; (15 minutes before pick up is good enough), purely to avoid the pitfalls of which you speak--predeparture mayhem in the cockpit as you try to prepare for the flight.
The calm of the room is the place to digest info about rtes/loads/notams/intams/mel/fueluplifts/wx etc. etc. etc. Once on board, the old adage of "too many cooks spoil the broth" still holds true.Quite easy to miss things with the inevitable distractions.
