B. Jensen wrote:

Until you flown in Europe and experienced "their different way"
(especially France) of doing things, don't be too hard on a US carrier
that just spent 8+ hours enroute to Europe in an old "steam gauge"
airliner. ;-)

Actually, yes, I am so hard. I expect from an ATP to know the rules of
the air he is flying in. I expect his employer to offer appropriate
training. I expect the pilot to prepare his flight.

On the other hand, everybody is making mistakes, of course.

Stefan