Geee!!!
Came back on my post after a few flights and little rest...And I'm amazed by all the replies.
First and above all, it has to be clear cut that drinking and flying are not going together, and this post had no other purpose than give a warning to what might happen when you go through the security check in AMS.
Secondly, zeeeeee "check" itself was done on first floor security door way, at the crew centre... And when you know the place, you are in view of all the pax behind those glasses.
Thirdly, the crew passed the test succesfully... And that is the most important think. Even after a W-E in AMS, you can still be and act as a real aviation professionnal. What is seen in your replies is that it is still a sensible subject, probably because our journalist friends are very keen on jumping on such an "easy subject". Our pax also are very keen on that matter.
Incredibly enough, in some newspapers, you can read " a Cpt from.@#^% company has been caught drunk while going to his aircraft..."
Manchester, London, Hamburg, Berlin, all airports where alcohol testing are regularly made.
Where is the limit?
When I have a drink with my friends, they sensibly most of the time ask when is my next flight..."12 hours minimum recommended between the bottle and the throttles, 24 hours is what I do" is invariably my answer. And I'm not a heavy drinker.
As a cpt, it is my responsability to have my crew fit to fly, if I see/smell that there is some alcohol involved in one's behaviour, I will gently but fermly advise that person to report in sick for that day. And I will speak to him/her in private. So that nobody else knows. Have a reserve called...First I save my licence, but the person's licence as well, plus a lot of problems avoided. We are all humans, we all do mistakes, as long as we learn from them and correct them.
Have fun and enjoy your flights.