In message
, at
09:24:41 on Fri, 9 May 2008, John B remarked:
What about someone who boarded a plane to India without bothering to
check that they needed a Indian visa? Would they be a victim of
outrageous bureaucracy, or an idiot? What about an Indian who did the
same thing the other way round? (and if your answers to these two are
different, why the difference?)

In both cases the airline won't let you on board unless you have the
relevant Visas (because they get fined at the far end). At least one
country I've gone to, the visa had to be checked by an "expert", and not
just the check-in clerk (and that at a busy place like Heathrow). Later,
going to another country I almost didn't get allowed on the plane (a
small irregularity that got sorted out on arrival, but only after some
phone calls from the gate - Heathrow again).
--
Roland Perry