And consider this: it doesn't make any difference at all whether you try your luck at alternate gear extention (which is supposed to work anyway) in New York, or eight hours later in Warsaw.
In my opinion, a perfectly logical decision. You just can't beat Murphy if he decides to fail the alternate system as well. Looks to me the crew played the hand they were dealt perfectly.
Unless Murphy shows up over the Atlantic and demands to go to Greenland in the middle of the night.