[askvictor]

What can be attributed to the carbon fibre?

[tavavex]

The plane faring better in the collision than expected and, allegedly, not burning through quickly and buying the passengers more time to evacuate.

[askvictor]

My naive assuming would have been that carbon fibre would burn easier than aluminium

[tavavex]

Well, yes, the plane did burn down almost completely. The quote I heard that complimented it wasn't that it wasn't flammable, but that it (again, allegedly - I'm not a material scientist) insulated the interior from the fire outside for long enough.