If the crew rest hadn't been removed (by EK) then EK wouldn't have to do so much writing of guidance because (in the case of the B777) the augment crew would be out of the way in the take-off/landing certified roof space CRC.
This is the essence of the problem. Greed of our dear leaders led to a decision that
proves now to be detrimental to safety.
If we had the CRC as designed by the manufacturers, the whole problem would not have arisen. I even pretend MEL would not have happened (not sure about JNB).
In my previous company the acting captain had the choice of sending the augment crew to their comfortable seats. He had the operational choice of having a professional and calm cockpit with the two crew only in charge.
- Which by the way enabled civilized eating and reading during the 7h rest, not some Houdini-like contortion of my neck to only watch TV, let alone simply eat. Now we have to either starve in the bunk or eat in the cockpit on seats that do not recline a bit and disturb flight operations. -
If the captain needed or wanted help, he simply called for it, at any time help was there in seconds and not creating stress to eating passengers and hard working flight attendant from two hurrying guys making their way through 350 passengers.
The captain had the choice, not imposition. That makes a world of difference.
At EK there is no choice. When you sometimes don't want the p.i.t.a behind you, EK imposes him on you. When you could need every hand on deck, in emergencies, EK has banned help 100 meters away from you with 350 panicking passengers in between.
So much about "use of all resources" and safety gets kicked in the proverbial by greed again.
The acting captain in other carriers doesn't have the two poor supernumeraries breathing down his neck during crucial preparations, in addition to the dispatcher, purser, mechanic, station representative, ATC, SMNC et al.
Distraction comes from each and every body/voice in the cockpit, be they nosey or trying to hide.
No FCI or SOP or any kind of directive can take away a huge chunk of responsibility of TC of adding
unnecessary distraction and crowdedness into the preflight phase in the cockpit.
They simply added risk and now shove down the unsafe outcome on their crew -- again..
but please, dear colleagues, do not ask for more written drivel by the company in that respect!
The only solution to improve the situation would be a decent and safe CRC, so let's all keep discovering and dreaming.
Over and out.