Regarding other traffic on the Atlantic that night, I wonder how much useful weather info was being passed on 123.45, by the earlier flights, in order to help fellow crews, on the same route as AF447. Many years of Atlantic crossings taught me that AF and LH seem to be the two airlines hesitant at giving, or receiving such info,or at least, they never replied!!!
We need to look after each other in this industry with all the pitfalls!...Monitoring Data and 121.5 does use up spare radios however!