Your first objective is always to get the airframe and payload from gate to gate in one piece and on time.
When there are additional pressures such as contaminated runways, de-icing, etc, it may be wise to focus on that first objective.
If you choose to address other objectives, such as strategies which address your airline's inability to do equitable fuel deals across its network (don't forget that tanking is ALWAYS bad news for the environment) and then you screw up, you may find yourself wishing you'd stuck with objective one.
Oh, and always be wary of people whose stories don't stack up.