Cumulonimbus:
Now, I also agree that if he has a fundamental problem and cannot help himself, then he needs both help and sympathy, once he has paid the penalty for what he has done, assuming he has done it.
Ignorance is no excuse. If you get in your car and drive whilst over the limit, you will be prosecuted and deservedly so, even if you didn't know it was unlawful to drive over the limit set. If driving is a fundamental part of your job, and you loose your job as a result, tough; you knew the game.
An earlier poster suggested it was ok to drink and drive or drink and fly if it was his airplane and he wasn't carrying SLF. Get real everyone, whenever you get in your car or your airplane impaired through alcohol then you are a danger to everyone around you, whether it be in the air or on the ground. No excuse, and God forbid you kill or hurt anyone.
Nothing bizarre really about my post, ignorance was me referring to whether there was a disrespect of the rules and the "I am alright" attitude.
I think we all agree the guy should not have been allowed on the flight deck and the correct action was taken (even if some disagree by the wrong people i.e. airport security). But my post is about whether he should ever be allowed on the flight deck again.
Correct if you get caught drink driving and thats your job you lose your licence - but the ban is only for a specific period of time and often able to be reduced by undertaking an alcohol awareness course and also if you have an acohol problem upon production of a doctors letter saying they are happy with your rehabilitation.
My point is more towards the fact that aviation has its own stresses and couple with the time away from family and the things that go along with that then it would not be unreasonable to say that some may abuse the bottle too much as a way out. I am not saying this applies to all or it is excusable but it is a fact of life - it happens to many people in high stress roles - read John's post at the start of the thread.
The point of my post was that people are shooting a man whilst he is down and not even considering the position of why he may be there. Given we dont know these facts should we really be calling for him to be banned for life - could this not be just pouring more problem on a person with enough problems already ? Or should if the guy has problems we as humane humans help them out of the hole to rebuild their life ?
I am not saying that we should be all fluffy about this - I am saying we should not be executioner without the full facts. If the guy took unreasonable risks without thinking of the consequences (this is different from having a problem) then by all means throw the book - but what point is this thread if we are just going to say throw the book at everyone - what can the aviation industry learn from these examples from these comments other than someones judge/jury verdict ?