Originally Posted by
tortue
Doesn't the captain retain captains authority to deviate when required? I recall seeing reports of how on occasion, captains will exercise their authority to move off the track to go around bad weather on the NATs. I think some amount of paperwork is required afterwards to justify the action.
The Captain can use his emergency authority to deviate. He will have to explain that action after the flight. Ride comfort would never be a reason to exercise emergency authority unless the turbulance threatened the safety of the aircraft. It would be highly unlikely to encounter that type of turbulance on the tracks. Most pilots would never see it in a 20 year career of flying the North Atlantic.