Several airline companies sent their planes (with no passengers) to check ash cloud danger. According to enormous losses by airlines, if they send aircrafts to collect samples I predict huge inquiry on EU comission level on how come ash cloud dispersion prediction could ground so many flights with no samples gathered whatsoever.
well, I didnt look closely and I thought Skipper's pic was an Aston shot. With all blurring, reflections, desaturation and so on. So I would like to see original photo to choose who to vote
As far we know that visibility was 400m - so the pilot didnt need any altimeter in fact to see how high he is - 10m or 50m. He obviously ignored (or didnt know the procedure which is very doubtful) expectation for response with altitude - with no ILS tower control sends info on distance, waits for altitude answer and corrects the pilot with proper landing path, which controllers know probably by heart.
So summing this up - the pilot was several times informed that he was t00 low but he pursued like a suicide.
If he had any pressure on him - it would be disqualifying for the captain of the air vessel if he approved pressure from the passengers and rejected sugestions by the control tower.