At the en-route diversion point the airline owner/pilot/captain decided there was sufficient fuel to continue to destination saving an en-route landing, however 'Murphy's Law' popped up with the Airbus fuel emergency at destination and an unplanned hold occurred using up those vital few kg's of fuel.
Mmmmmm.
Final Reserve is used to combat 'Murphy's Law'. It's used for NOTHING else! Ever!
It's 30 minutes of fuel. No pilot in their right mind would
PLAN to eat into it, when overflying an en-route fuel diversion, simply to reach their destination! A MAYDAY call was required as soon as it became apparent the aircraft would
LAND with less than 30 minutes of fuel in it's tanks!
After all the other preceding HF/planning/cultural issues. That simple, single act would highly likely have saved many lives here.
Having said all the above, it's not JUST a cultural/ethnicity issue. I'm led to believe Concorde once had 4 engines flame out on the taxi in at Heathrow, and was towed to stand! I could of course be wrong?