BOAC
wallybird - I would ask you to carefully read both the current and old threads on this topic? Your fixation on 'thunderstorms' is out of place based on what we are told by BEA. There is also no firm 'evidence' of any 'thunderstorms' on their route.
There is no evidence that they 'penetrated' or flew near a 'thunderstorm'.
It is shown (in the reports) that their 'choice' to deviate to the west proved to be a better one than other aircraft which went to the east.
BOAC
As a matter of semantics, and my "fixation" on thunderstorms, and no "evidence" of thunderstorms, then just what are they deviating around?
If not thunderstorms?