In one well known major international airline based in Hong Kong (no prize for guessing which one), the trainee captain attends a cocktail party and even if he has passed all technical tests, his command can be mysteriously knocked back by the elite management group.
I find this hilarious! What happens if you turn the invitation down or you are teetotal or turn up dressed in drag?
Tee Emm, have to say I agree with you - it's become far too complex with a lot of companies now.
Flying (dare I say commanding) an aircraft is quite simple but there's a whole army of people out there now trying to make it complicated.