Another question from this SLF. I've noted a lot of questioning about whether or not AF447's flight crew deviated from their assigned flight path. Whereas several other a/c in their vicinity did so. Not being at all familiar with protocol if the flight crew of AF447 did attempt to deviate wouldn't they have needed permission to do so, and from whom? I'm quite sure that one does not simply deviate from one's assigned flight path without asking for permission first, correct? My thinking is if they did indeed deviate then that decision would have been made well before TASIL when we know they still had comms?
So why no mention of AF447 asking for a deviation?