Quote -
"Jabawocky Ohhhh Dear
Someone (many) said about commercial pressures, can you imagine the call going like ....get it back here so we can look at it!
One hopes not, but you can imagin it"
Speaking from personal experience, (about the company in question) having had cause to land somewhere other than BK for an aircraft issue, (signifigantly LESS serious than the incident in question) not an ounce of "commercial pressure" was placed on me by any member of staff for choosing the course of action I undertook. Not so much as a raised eyebrow was cast in my direction when I reported what happened and why I did what I did. The issue was corrected promptly and to my satisfaction, I continued the flight and that was that.
I have been following this thread very closely, and have been examining what my own course of action would have been on that day, and if I was 100% honest with myself, (with what little information I posses about the incident in question) I would have more than likely elected to return to BK as well...
I look forward to the release of the report from the ATSB, to shed some more light on this extremly unfortunate incident, so that a more complete picture may be formed. With a complete analysis of all available information (Wx/Aircraft performance/Radio tapes/Radar tapes/Human factors/Aircraft system failures) it may be able to enlighten us all with a clearer idea of what happened, and maybe just stop me, or anyone else following in such tragic footsteps.
Fly safe.