...and there are 4 of them. I can understand if you forget to lock one, or miss to check one during walkaround. But to completely forget to lock any of them or to completely miss to check all of them is just another indicator for where we are heading for, if cost is our highest priority.
Since the cowls lock together as a pair, it is not possible leave an odd number unlocked. I was also under the impression this was 2 cowls not 4 this time.
Believe me, Maintenance folks don't deliberately fail to follow procedures, it is a repetitive mundane / easily distracted function performed thousands of times per day all over the world and the error is always classic Human Factors. There is nothing to do with cost saving. It is down to the authorities and Airbus's sadly lacking will to correct the design with any great urgency. Airbus's standard response is always "didn't follow procedures".