What can we learn from this episode?
1. Don't leave it to the day before / on the day to have such discussions.
2. Don't ring Crewing - ring the Duty Pilot - your Manager.
3. Planned VV actual. The previous CAA advice particularly on ETOPS / 2 crew / CAP371 was FDP calculations were based on "planned" not "actual". Need to check on EASA. This case was a one off schedule however.
4. Plenty of discussion over the years that CAP371 regs on early/lates/nights caused rostering issues when switching from early duties e.g. to afternoons. This incident is the proof perhaps....
There are no winners.