Look, reading the posts here, I actually think we're pretty much agreed on 90%, the biggest agreement being that if you need more fuel on the day, take it. But, lets clear up the last 10% and probably the sticking point for most.
I never once said that you can commit before departure. You can't. What I said was that I will have 20 minutes because I have that fuel for my alternate. I comply with the fuel policy and I can legally depart for Dubai. That's a fact and at this stage has nothing to do with committing.
Now we arrive into Dubai. If I am given 'no delay', I know that I should have less than 20 minutes before cleared for approach. Then, in consultation with my colleague(s), decide if conditions are suitable for committing. This will be based on many factors including weather, number of runways, contingency fuel used, amount of alternate fuel etc. If they are, we advise ATC, stay at our destination and use some of the alternate fuel. I have committed twice before. No big deal. This is exactly what the fuel policy has been designed for
Now, if there is a further delay, and you're likely to land with final reserve, you declare a Mayday. God forbid we ever do though. If old sheiky gets to hear about it on the RT, we'll never hear the last of it from his nonsensical posts.
Perhaps it's also worth remembering that if you do decide to divert, and aircraft will, the Company does not ring you up and ask why. They know why and accept these rare occassions as a compromise for the majority of flights taking CFP fuel in normal conditions. Carrying an extra 1.5 tonnes per aircraft every time on a fleet this size adds up to a huge amount.
Harry