Originally Posted by
BYLAW
Aviation is a very nasty business these days, so it could easily happen to you.
YGTBSM. What could easily happen to whom? If you show up sober to fly those who have enstrusted their lives to you, IT WON"T HAPPEN. If he was out drinking heavily on the layover, his f/o should have made a suggestion to go back to his room. If he was drinking by himself, he had other issues and should have been professional enough to sick out. Twenty or thirty years ago, this may have been the norm, but with the security as it is today, one should know better.
So to take a read on this here on this forum:
a) this could happen to anyone
b) Heavy drinking on layovers is ok, as long as you don't get caught
c) Big difference in flying drunk and driving drunk. Driving drunk-bad, flying drunk-forgiveable and can happen to anyone.
It's not the gentleman in question we should feel bad for, but his family. The shame, financial ruin, and lives of his wife and children (if he had any) changed forever by his actions. If he had a true addiction and not just a layover social drinker, then he should have asked for help, knowing what the consequences could be.
Just watch out for your crewmembers. Take care of each other, and don't let this happen to your friends and collegues. It is sad, not just at your airline, but others around the world that layovers can't be enjoyed with out heavy drinking.
IXNAT