It's not just the airline industry that is suffering from this type of regulation.
Banks have Basel II, other companies have to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley and some of the other legislation floating around is beyond belief too. In reality, will it make a real difference?
As a professional in another field, I have deep sympathy for airline crews, who it would appear now cannot enjoy a normal life and who will be persecuted for reporting with a level of alcohol, that frankly, probably would not affect their judgement and that is difficult to judge without the aid of testing apparatus.
How many crashes, on scheduled airline flights, have been caused by pilots under the influence of alcohol?
Unfortunately, once legislation is passed, it will be enforced. i'm just awaiting BJCCs comment :-)
I have been flying as a pax since 1976 and do about 90 sectors a year. I don't feel any safer as a result of this new approach.
I wish I could influence a change, but will have to settle for expressing empathy for this lady (if the allegations are true.) I am sure that ATPLs would not report if they felt they were endangering their passengers and crew.