The purpose of the list was to identify potential weaknesses in systems and procedures that could come back to bite future flights.
The point about the storm was to question the wisdom of allowing flight plans to be filed where the advertised destination is an 'alternate'.
Regardless of Air France's comments about the pilots being free to choose the route and make an unscheduled stop, I am sure there is pressure to eke out fuel and keep to the published timetable.