For f...s sake !!!!!!!!
How difficult is it to crouch down and check these latches?
You don't need to get a wet knee, only a wet hand:-
Stand at the side of the engine just aft of the intake, facing to the rear of the aircraft. Crouch down like a cricket wicket keeper. Place one hand on the join between the front of the cowling and the engine anti-ice ring housing, (which will give you a tactile indication as to whether the cowling is correctly flush). Place your other hand on the ground and lean downwards until your head is low enough to look underneath at the latches. You should not be able to see anything hanging lower than the cowling line, (apart from the drain mast). If you do, call the engineers.
At the very worst, you might get a wet hand, but how bad is that compared to the idiocy of taking off with the cowlings unlatched ????????????????
Come on people, we are pilots, and we should properly check our aircraft before flying them. It is no good trying to blame engineers etc, the pilots accept the aircraft to fly, the pilots should perform a proper walk around. No excuses. End of.
For f**k sake, shut up before full investigation completed!
With short turn round times, the flight crew could have completed the walk around checks and then proceeded woth very busy preflight in the cabin and cockpit.
Maintenance could have done a lot of routine oil/fluid top up plus other checks which require opening the cowls after the pilots' walk around check.
The maintenace must check before pushback!
FELLOW PILOTS ARE A PILOT's worst enemy!!!!!!
