A room full of elephants
Lets start at the top.
Germanwings is a low cost operation. This means what it says on the tin. Low cost. The public only sees low fares, but that is not possible without low cost.
So where do low cost companies cut the cost? Everywhere! Staffing, training, maintenance, terms and conditions, HR, fuel, flight and duty hours, you name it, it is all done at the lowest possible cost.
Finance people love this, but we as pilots know one basic thing: Safety cost money.
The captain of this ill fated flight was a Lufthansa captain. Or was he? Was he not a Germanwings captain? Did he do this transfer happily, or was it a case of "you do this or else?"
The first officer was a low hour pilot. Nothing unusual about this. I was one myself. But when I started my company put me through a lot of training before the gave me a type rating. Yes, I did not have to pay for it!
Well, both training and terms and conditions for new hires have been reduced. A lot. In my airline, this affects the motivation of the new guys. They earn slightly more that a McDonalds worker.
The LH group pilots are in conflict with their management. They have been on strike. Pensions and salaries, and if the rumor is correct, GW is heading for a big reduction in both.
I have been in the same situation. A lot of pressure from the top, including turning other airline staff agains the "overpaid and underworked" pilots. Threats of bankruptcy and loss of job and income
While all this was going on, we were supposed to fly as usual. Safe and on time. Not let any management bullying affect us.
Did it? Of course. Some more than others. A lot of complaining and pissed off pilots. Some went sick. Depression? Who knows, but guys got tired. Not fit for flight. Most went to work anyway.
We are stuck behind a CRM barrier in the shape of a steel door. It keeps the bad guys out, but it also enables a suicidal pilot to lock out his colleague.
This industry is getting sicker by the day. I am sure there will be more accidents before a red flag is raised. The Americans have started to reverse the situations. How many accidents do we need in Europe before we do the same?