I feel everybody is missing the point and picking the flys..t out of the pepper debating aerodynamical points which although have some relevance but are avoiding the cardinal issue - do not fly into thunder storms, they bite hard and what has happened to good airmanship and pilot judgement, do a 180 and return to where there are no red bits on the screen. For heavens sake when are we pilots going to say that the VIP's on board are ourselves and to hell with the bean counters and the rest of the jam stealers in our industry who appear in the media crying crocodile tears for the innocent victims of this tragedy. The reality is profit overrides safety every time and I defy any airline exec to deny this. And as for the flying public if you choose to save a miserable couple of dollars and travel with a dodgy carrier you will get what you deserve. There is no price on safety and professional crew.