A mate was "marked down" on a line check because he took discretionary fuel to a place notorious for springing a TEMPO on you. The weather had all the ingredients for thunderys, but none were forecast. He used his discretion, experience and knowledge of meteorology to predict the highly predictable.
They won't count that on the app!
Imagine a 'performance interview' for an FO with the viscious HR manager present as adherence to fuel policy is considered a 'requisite' for promotion?
HR want control of pilots, they know pilots do not answer to corporate control channels. Ever wonder what the Qantas 'uniform policy' was a clumsy attempt at?
Company fuel policy has been pushed so aggressively that in some places that you can be penalised for using your noodle.
And who makes the money from it being 'pushed'?
It suprises me from a legal perspective that most pilots do not understand what strict liability means. Fuel policy is nice to know but ultimately the only one being cross examined by the regulator's barrister is the PIC.