Hi,
IIRC, in the weeks following the accident, AF CEO explained to the press that AF Maintenance first looked at the ACARS messages when they began routine preparations for the arrival of the flight in Paris, IIRC about ETA-1hr
HN39, thanks. That meant they looked at them around 08h00, and apparently nobody thought to look at them earlier.
These queries are natural and obvious now, but may not have been so at the time of receipt of the ACARS messages
Those queries were obvious when the accident occured !
Air France plane that seems to have difficulties (at least they know that communications are interrupted with him) and no one thinks immediately seek if ACARS was submitted by the plane ... ?
Instead .. the management of Air France made statements to the press (Gourgeon by example) that are pure speculations ....
All was proved false when the ACARS were published (not the fact of AF but because a leak elsewhere)
Can we believe in so negligences from Air France??