So what you are really saying then TS, is that you should get the job and make your wodge, unless its too dodgy, in which case, send the military in to do it
?
No, not at all.
All I am saying is that 2 Group should be more commercially aware (as I argued in a thread about six months ago). They should put in place guidelines for degrading civil security situations, whereby they charge for their services when in direct competition with civilian operators, do not subsidise incompetent companies who do not put in professional evacuation plans for their staff, and only initiate free humanitarian flights when civilians are in direct danger through no fault of their own, and there is no alternative commercial means to evacuate them.
These guidelines should be published for not only the benefit of commercial operators, and likely commercial clients such as oil companies(and their insurance) but also for politicians. If these guidelines were published, it would avoid "trial by tabloid" which occured in this instance, whereby politicians are cornered into taking action at the taxpayers expense.
It would also avoid the ludicrous situation where - according to StopStart who is a Herc truckie at BN - that the RAF "justify" these flights because it is good practice for the crews! If 2 Group had a commercial arm, they would have plenty of practice flying all over the world - and probably in more modern aircraft than they have. At least FSTA is a step in the right direction.
By the way, I saw on the news that the Libyan opposition have apologised for shooting at the Herc - as I supposed in my earlier post they actually mistook it for a Ghadaffi aircraft.
And for the prats who are laughing at my question about whether the RAF paid landing fees - it just shows how far out of touch with reality you are.
I have no idea where the RAF landed - perhaps they landed in a remote desert strip, without prior permission, having previously secured the strip with ground forces. In which case, it could be regarded as an act of war bu the Libyan regime, by any allied states, and indeed possibly by the UNSC.
Possibly they landed at a private airstrip, owned by an oil company who invited them in, in order to get free evacuation of their staff when, if they were a professionaly run company, they would have paid commercial operators to evacuate their non-essential staff when it was still possible, and would have a decent contingency plan to protect and victual their essential staff for an appropriate time.
Or perhaps they landed at a commercial airstrip - in which case if the RAF didn't pay landing fees then they are the same level as some thieving commercial operators who run away without paying, thereby stealing a competive advantage from commercial operators who do pay fees, and also depriving airport staff of their living.