The rule for American pilots is eight hours, bottle-to-throttle; at least it was in 2019, unless it has changed:

14 CFR § 91.17

a) No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft –
(1) Within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage;
(2) While under the influence of alcohol;
(3) While using any drug that affects the person’s faculties in any way contrary to safety; or
(4) While having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater in a blood or breath specimen. Alcohol concentration means grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood or grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath

The above was issued to clarify the rule in question which was deemed confusing. The new revision was issued, it was rumored, so that even the drunkest pilot could understand it. It takes the average-sized male about 5 hours to completely sober up from .08 BAC but if you're an habitually heavy drinker, a binge of even up to .20 is not uncommon, and then sobering up could take time well into the next day.

Scary. For my part I think every ATP pilot should be subject to a breathalyzer test before he or she boards the aircraft. They're not the most accurate way of measuring BAC but even the reality of having to face such a test the morning after would be enough, I would think, to alert Mr. or Ms. Pilot to the fact that they should practice moderation the night before.

Best not to take the driver’s comment as absolute fact. Gossip runs rampant esp when the content is shocking.

You’re clueless, luxury cockpits? Try being away from your family four days a week in crappy hotel rooms. Eating airport fast food in between flights, navigate around the weather, missing the holidays, by the way, hope you enjoy the Fourth of July! I can go on and on this from a retired airbus captain telling you If you think it’s as glorious as in the movies see if you can catch a ride with a crew for a month! By the way they’ve been negotiating a contract for seven years now with the inability to strike because of the Railway labor act which BENEFITS guess who the company. If you want to know what my pension is after 40 years at one of the top three major airlines, I’ll give you a hint it might’ve covered the car payment for a pinto back in the 70s! And that’s thanks to the bankruptcy back in 2012. They kick the can when times are good and then negotiate when times are bad and there’s no retro thanks to Railway labor act this is what they all do and the employees have to seek relief to strike which they never get. And when you’re in the airplane in the crews have been out there for over 10 hours still trying to get you to your Disney vacation I think they’re worth every penny and then 1000 time more! Safe travels, well you can always go on one of those low budget airlines, enjoy!

Great response.

I know someone who is very risk averse. They told me recently, "If there aren't enough pilots, etc. to fly the plane, what makes you think they have enough mechanics to keep them airworthy?"

Yeaaaaaah, I don't fly as much anymore. She made sense.

Remember, truck drivers have to be off so many hours, so do pilots.

Yes, over the years I experienced flight cancellations from time to time as the incoming flight was so late the pilots booked for my flight ran out of time left in their shift to operate my flight and no other crews were available. This happened too frequently for me on the last AA flight of the day (night) from PHX to ABQ. At least I received a voucher to overnight in PHX. Better safe than dead. Nevertheless I tried to avoid booking this iffy flight whenever I could although occasionally my earlier connecting flight was canceled and I was stuck with it.

Maybe they are tired of being forced to partake in pharmaceutical experiments. How many pilots have died in the past 2 years. Is it below or above average. Interview the group of pilots instead of believing the TELL-A-VISION.

I just keep wondering what they did with the gazzilions of dollars of Covid relief money they took.

They stayed in business.
When my wife’s parents were sick she was flying twice a month to help take care of them. Many of the flights she was on had fewer than 10 people onboard.
The government mandated that the airlines continue to fly. Without being subsidized they would have gone out of business and we would have been in worse shape than we are now.

Many people left the industry - early retirement, packages. The airlines were preparing for a long downturn which has turned out not to be the case thanks to the heroes like Fauci and team for educating us as to the benefits of masks and vaccines.

Sadly we have forgotten all that we learnt about remaining safe and Covid is making a regurgence, although luckily no longer deadly.

I thought I was the only one that referred to them as "Useless Air". I flew out of Pittsburgh when it was a hub for them for 10 years in the 80s and 90s. At least once a week and sometimes twice. Security, before 9/11, knew me by sight and name and usually just waved me through. I can remember a lot of delays and many cancellations with ridiculous re-routes. Had to go from Pgh to Lexington, KY via Buffalo, back to Pgh, then to Louisville and then drive to Lexington arriving at 3am to my hotel all due to cancellations.

Anyone remember Peoples Express? We’d fly from Dulles to Newark pretty regular. You paid for your ticket in flight.

Filled with the logical fallacy "appeal to authority" and crammed with anecdotal information, this is one of the most grotesque postings I have had the misfortune of reading.

Airlines flying is a complex business depending on a large number of job descriptions to all perform their tasks in a timely and efficient manner. They are regularly graded on their efficiency.

Flights that do not leave the gate, lose money for their airline. They also garner heat from the FAA. Pilots who do not fly, do not get paid. If they do not fly their maximum number of hours for the month, that money is lost forever.

What a business: Airlines have no control over the cost of jet fuel in the future. They order new aircraft 10 years in advance. They depend on Air Traffic Control to be fully staffed and operating at peak efficiency. Government hiring agendas have embraced a philosophy of quota hiring in order to level the pigmentation and sexual preference playing field.

Would you invest in such an industry?

It's the same all over Europe.
Baggage handling, not enough flight crews, and overbooking the main cause of cancellations and holdups.
Two weeks ago, son in law and I had to drive from UK to Geneva Switzerland to fetch grandson back after flight cancelled and told by airline they would have nothing to get him back for two days.
All other flights were fully booked.
He had important end of school exams, which basically would decide his entrance to Air Force, hopefully for pilot training, and that was our only option.
Done it with 10 hours to spare for a nights sleep, and now hold our breath until August when results are published.
At 82 yoa I do not need all this excitement!!