With a report for a New Year's day flight, I am again in for a New Year's Eve of watching the party around me in a sober detached state of surrealism! Very similar to my 8am LHR depart on the first day of the new millenium! At least it makes me popular for saving the impossible task of finding a taxi on NYeve.
Anyway, I was at least hoping to get a drink the night 24hours before, but I too am becoming concerned at the low level of the limit at 20mg. Having checked the specs of the various breathalizers on the market, it is apparent that their accuracy is at such a level to be unreliable at the low limits. Even the high tech versions which cope with the driving limit in Sweden (also 20mg) only start at 20mg as the lowest available reading in their range at plus/minus 10mg accuracy. If the authorities are not using incredibly high spec breath testers ( are there any?), then some of us are bound to be falsely tested positive before the blood test proves our innocence, but no doubt that will look to our peers and company like we "got away with it !"
Therefore, I would agree with all the posters who have stated that their concerns are not against the principle of ensuring non alcohol impaired operation, but with the level and manner of its enforcement. I would also agree with all the comments that fatigue is a far more real and present danger to flight safety than this "headline" issue.
I only hope that if we do have a sky marshall on board, he will have had as a quiet a night as me.
