Originally Posted by
Golden Toque
People make mistakes... not everyone is going to get all of the rules right all of the time. I don't expect them too...
As a customer, I just hope that there is a policy and procedure in place to double-check / verify what the visa requirements are, and that it can get done before a flight leaves, if I arrive before the minimum check-in times...
There shouldn't be one person responsible for making this decision, with no recourse for a second look.
People make mistake. But this is not one that should be made lightly. This is not one where the agent should invent his/her own personal policy. But instead double and triple-check.
OTOH, it works both ways, gate agents should make sure that people without the proper docs should not travel. My guess is that the pressure on them emphasizes that side of the issue. With the results seen here.
If the passenger appears to be familiar of the issues and to know his stuff, a reasonable gate agent would presumably at least call her boss/check with a colleague.
When a similar thing almost happened to me, I had already SE status, a confirmed upgrade, and I dealt with the priority line. I wonder how the thing would have unfolded would I not have had status and flying economy? I might have missed that wedding...