Originally Posted by medic
Hell, if I wanted to blow a plane with a shoe bomb, I'd go to podunk, USA where there's no shoe carnival, catch a puddle jumper to a major airport and then have my fun since I'm already in the secure area.
I can understand the need for the dog and pony show to make grandma ethal feel safe, but a little consistency and reasonableness isn't too much to ask.
There is no need to go out of your way to travel to Podunk. The TSA screeners couldn't find a well made shoe bomb if they tried. Most quality running shoes have thick soles with packets of air or gel. It wouldn't take much to replace the air or gel with a highly explosive chemical compound that could be set off manually in the lav - or the trigger could be packed in the carry-on, then put inside the shoe after clearing security.
See...that's the problem. The TSA want to avoids risk. There is no way that can be done. Any wall they create will be scaled eventually by an organized group with sufficient skill and resources.
Well, that and being stuck in an endless loop of 'they did it to us once, so they will do it the same way again' - instead of trying to figure out what new weakness that could be exploited and try to mitigate the risk around them.
IHATESAT, the OP was well within his rights to challenge the screener. This is not a police state and screeners are not police - or government authorities of any kind. The screener violated procedure by bumping the wand against the shoe to cause an alarm and make his point. For that, he should be written up. If he is caught doing it again, he should be terminated.