Duty starts 1 hour before ETD
watchdog,
Duty starts 1 hour before the ETD, so if they ask me to do my thing, I will politely tell them that I have to wait for that time before they can take a valid sample. Being in or out of ubiform has absolutely nothing to do with that, the FOM only states:
Alcohol of any type must not be CONSUMED while in uniform in a public place
As far as I am concerned, I can have a few drinks until 12 hours before my DUTY starts, be still positive when I get in my uniform, be still positive when I get in the company car and still be positive when I go through the e-gate because the company asks me to be there early (on MY time). D@mn, in the current situation I might still be positive when I get on the crew bus. As long as I will be completely sober 1 hour before ETD (or when I get on board and start fiddling around in the flightdeck).
Bottom line, I have absolutely no problem that they want to test me, but NOT before my duty starts, even if that will delay the flight. The whole process is their f*ck up, not mine!!
MR8