"But if we really do feel it's necessary, why start with pilots? Medical profession would be first on the list, professional (or maybe all) drivers, nuclear plant personnel, armed police....."
At the risk of being insensitive in my first post, I suggest that pilots would not be the first. Armed (UK) police, when I was involved with the roles, were asked before being issued with a firearm and before being briefed on any specific job whether they had consumed alcohol in the last 24 hours, or whether there was any other reason they should not be issued with a firearm. Every person, every time. (Including the commanders, who would not be armed.)
OK, they weren't actually screened, but they could have been and they were asked and their colleagues were vigilant. I always received clear, robust responses when I asked the question, and I've known people stand down or decline a (lucrative) call-out when they couldn't answer this truthfully correctly.
I am presently engaged temporarily working for a UK infrastructure programme. Part of my induction was a very clear instruction that you were not allowed on the premises after imbibing alcohol, and you were not allowed to bring alcohol, even newly bought in sealed containers, on to the premises. And that's an office, not a construction site.
So I don't think pilot testing/screening/asking would be out of step.
PS. On a television documentary recently I saw that Indian train drivers (and signallers?) were tested every time they reported for duty.
Last edited by rarefly; 2nd Jan 2017 at 10:55.
Reason: Adding an afterthought PS.