Basil & Ollie Onion,
Even in this day and age with quick-donning oxygen masks etc there are still plenty of places around the world where it is compulsory for a pilot to wear an oxygen mask if left alone on the flight deck. Japan is one country that springs to mind, where > 25000' a pilot left on his lonesome has to wear one and > 41000' at least one pilot must be on oxygen, no matter how many other pilots are present. These rules, I believe, are based on the US FARs but maybe the USA has moved away from such practises. I am not suggesting this was the case here and I am not suggesting any relevance but I just want to ensure that just because you've never heard of it or never done it doesn't mean the practise does not exist........no matter how daft.
Arkmark,
Before you pontificate and try to advance an obvious vendetta of yours to rid the world of 'cadets' (an action that seems common in Australia) and rant about the qualifications of the Captain, you might want to check your facts and realise the skipper had > 10000 hrs total and > 6000 hrs on the Airbus. He previously flew for Lufthansa (they're a rather large and well-respected airline in Europe, which is north of Darwin) and, whereas I'm sure he couldn't claim to have done the 'hard yards' :roll eyes: in the Outback mustering cattle, I think his qualifications and experience more than fulfil even the requirements of Australia....the heart of aviation and great practises.