I honestly don't think that making specific anonymous statements here about FD would be the most appropriate thing to do. If you feel strongly about an issue then there must be more appropriate channels through which to communicate your concerns. However, I had a "diversion" after a prolonged hold a few years back. I thought it might be sensible to share my experience in the hope that all fellow airmen never feel any pressure but to do what you think is most correct for the safest outcome of such a situation. I am certainly not implying that this fatal tragedy was the result of running out of fuel or that management pressures prevented a diversion. The reason I am writing this is to help encourage others to think about what they would do if they found themselves in a similar situation and what their decision and outcome would be.
As an M/E pilot of well over a decade (operating under the same GCAA) some years ago, I was called via SATCOM by the company and advised not to divert to my best "considered" diversion option after I informed the company via ACARS. Of course, time and fuel was not on my side and my decision to direct the aircraft to "my chosen" point of landing was well thought through and the safest thing to do, even if not commercially the best option for the company.
I was subsequently called in to explain my thoughts and actions throughout the flight at critical stages which I subsequently did. I was just above minimum fuel, under time pressure as well as "other pressures" and did what I had to do as a pilot to get the aircraft safely onto the ground.
This is not just the ME operations, it is global commercial pressure on pilots to keep the show in the road. Company's are always stressing that the first priority is SAFETY, as a pilot of over 30 years flying experience, I would suggest that this isn't always so.
We as pilots are the ones who direct the aircraft when it is under our control, us, just us in the cockpit, no one else has the final say or ability to do otherwise. Information from the company operations is just that, information and certainly not orders. No one in an office can ever be fully aware of a developing situation in a cockpit the way the trained professionals can. Seek advice and let it be that, we as pilots know what's best for the aircraft as we are staking our own life on the outcome of our actions. Always do what YOU think is the right thing to do at all times and then debrief the outcome subsequently if needs be.
Fly safe and once again a very very sad trajedy. BBC reporting the CVR and Black Box might be too damaged to be useful. I certainly hope that lessons can be learnt from this sad loss to help prevent further hardship.
J