Originally Posted by
CME Flyer
What about the screeners that aren't aware that you are allowed to wear disposable footwear. TPA airport provides paper slippers, which I grab several of to use on future flights out of airports that don't supply same. I had to argue with a supervisor at EWR to let me wear them through. He said NO FOOTWARE, disposable or otherwise was allowed. When I tried to explain they were from another airport, his response was, "well it is not allowed here." I asked him to please recheck the TSA rules, and after making me wait for 10 minutes, said it was OK for me to go through. I just had a similar incident this morning at Las Vegas. They told me "slippers" are not allowed. When I said they were paper and TSA approved, I was finally allowed to pass.
Even TSA agents have no idea of the rules
Believe it or not, the SOP
does have a provision about disposable footwear.
They are permitted. However, there's a catch, and I don't understand the logic behind it: after you've worn your disposable booties and passed through the WTMD, you are supposed to turn them over to us so we can dispose of them. It's not that we offer to dispose of them for you; we are supposed to get them from you and dispose of them. For the most part, I believe a great majority of passengers wouldn't mind discarding these disposable booties and letting us dispose of them. However, I imagine that there are a few who would want to keep them, especially if they anticipate having to go through security again later in the day or even at that particular airport (e.g. smokers at smoke-free airports). I'm thinking that there has to be some sort of misunderstanding of the TSA directive. Perhaps the intent is that we cannot refuse to dispose of these paper booties when requested.
I've told my officers to make the offer, and if the passenger refuses, then don't make a big deal out of it.