The thing is, though, someone with that level of skill probably would not have put himself in a situation where he needed to do that!
Ah; the definition of a skilful pilot emerges. Using your skill to avoid putting yourself in a scenario where you need you skill to survive.
What surprises me is the lack of survival instinct in both pilots. I wonder if the dispatcher was in the flight deck as well. If so then he would have been privy to the discussion about landing for fuel or not. That 'put your neck in a noose' behaviour in a pilot is a astonishing. To then pull it tight is disturbing; to then jump is suicidal.
I had missed what Portmanteau says about so many other a/c being involved and a 13 min delay. I'd only noted the Avianca previously. That 13mins is for Murphy, but should never have been that short.