Originally Posted by
elitetraveler
Having spent a week traveling through airports where I didn't have to remove shoes, I went through security at LAX Sunday - ok, laptop out of briefcase, ipod out of pants pocket, blackberry out of holster, jacket off and in bin, boarding pass out of jacket and in hand. I wait for the woman ahead of me to go through the scanner keeping an eye on my things as they go into the black hole. I hear, "what do you think you're doing?" barked in a nasty tone. I look at a TSA fellow and he says, "What do you think you're trying to pull?" At 7am it's a bit early and then I realize - looking down, shoes on - now off. His comment, "That's a smart boy"
What an aXXhole -
Close to my recent experiences at T1 and T2.
It is also used for punishment for those that place their items on the conveyor and pass through ahead of the person in front who is suprised and shocked to discover that he needs to take his coat off, belt off, take his laptop out of the bag, keys out of his pocket, cash from his other pocket etc etc .
"Oi - where do you think you are going, come back 'ere and take your shoes off!"
Some idiot in BAA has told these people that they are entitled to be treated as though they were somewhere between high-ranking policemen and senior immigration officials. Almost without exception I have found them to be pre-emptively rude and ignorant of the rules that they are supposed to be imposing particularly the see-thru bag of 100ml liquids.
It is ridiculous to have random shoe inspections at the first security stage. Either shoes represent a potential hazard in which case we all de-shoe - or not.
I'm hoping the OFT enquiry invites feedback from "The Public" as I think said public will have a lot of feedback to provide.