Peter
As a 777 skipper ( AF ) I find your story very humbling. We can all be as cocky as we want, when fate makes the kind of call you had to handle, how many of us would come out blameless. I sure hope to God this never happens to me.
The kind of crap you apparently had to deal with withing your own airline is mind blowing and of course it is hard to put oneself in your shoes as to why you took such a decision. However, my woossy self tends to think I wouldn't have ventured out in the cold and certainly not with an " informal " promise from Emirates of all bean counters.
So, you made a bad decision. Should you be left out to dry for it ??? I think not and I strongly support the view you should be reinstated as a 777 Captain.
Had I known you then, I would never have told you other airlines were going to snatch your hand given the sour course your story had taken. Airlines hate publicity they cannot control. We learned it the hard way following the loss of 447.
One more question : what became of your relationship with your 2 copilots while you were considering leaving ? I take it that they stayed, didn't they ?
I've ordered your book and I am looking foward to a very informative read.
All the very best.
Me