Intersesting, that everyone has accepted the scenario.
'Captain turns up smelling of alcohol'
Why the Captain?
Why is it an acknowledged problem?
So common(?) it goes unchallenged.
1) the captain by definiton, almost, has been doing this job for longer than anyone else.
2) alcohol is a bigger escape mechanism than is generally acknowleded.
3) alcoholism is aquired usually over man years
4) most captains are functioning alcoholics.
5) if you are a co-pilot, this is a future that becons
6) see other threads on crew fatigue issues.
7) I am unqualified to comment, I am a 33 year captain, with dozens of colleagues in my airline.
&) flying over your city at night