So if Airport Security or indeed any other person suspect a Flight Crew member is going on duty and they suspect he has consumed alcohol, are they supposed to ignore it? do nothing about it?. Personally I feel any responsible person would bring it to the attention of the Authorities. Would you want you wife, son, daughter,mum, dad or whatever in the care of an intoxicated person, be they Pilot, Doctor, Taxi Driver, Bus Driver, Surgeon !!!!!.
The Police are called to deal with it, Now the questions must start, what type of reading did they get, is there a printed record from their analysis machine. Bear in mind breath is the least accurate method of analysis. How they arrived at their decision to arrest and detain for further investigation may be open to question. But thank God for the blood specimen, this has proved innocence.
The real disgrace in this case lies in the reporting, the character assination. In fact I think its essential that those who provided info to the press, that printed grossly incorrect information face the full rigours of the law. Some Newspapers in the UK will print "ANYTHING". Truth does not seem to matter.
In future, where a pilot is tested for, or detained on suspicion of, such an offence. It should be done in privacy and as discretely as possible, NO OFFENCE, NO BREACH OF RULE OF LAW HAS BEEN COMMITTED, the information does not belong in the public domain. The rights of, identity of and career of the person must be protected.
Tomorrow, perhaps even tonight, it could be me, or you, blowing into that machine. But we should not face trial by media for the mere fact that we were required under law to provide a specimen.