Originally Posted by exbayern (Post 20357678)

I grew up with someone who is hearing impaired and I realise that is a challenge. But there IS signage, or video, at many airports, often in multiple languages. And thankfully not the American TSA standard of customer service; usually one is told nicely in several languages and hand gestures not to remove shoes. I've only seen one security person at CDG raise her voice and that was to a traveller who held up the queue taking a very long time to unlace his shoes and who then stopped and gave her the lecture in an angry voice about 'bad security', and frankly it was merited.

And believe me, I've experienced how TSA handles it when non-US travellers forget to remove their shoes. I've been belittled, yelled at, and treated very poorly on the few times I forgot to remove my shoes, and I've seen many people treated very badly indeed. I've also had conversations with people at the checkpoint in other languages about how the TSA treats people when they forget to remove their shoes, or don't know to do so.

While the shoe removers outside the US are an annoyance, they generally are treated much more pleasantly by security than how TSA treats the non-shoe removers.

Originally Posted by chollie (Post 20357899)

Not to mention how much more polite and reasonable they are when you forget a water bottle in your bag. At the checkpoint, I have always been offered the opportunity to take a drink on the spot.

Originally Posted by InkUnderNails (Post 20355918)

I only fly domestic in the USA. I am in such a habit of removing my shoes that I would be one of the naive people that would go through the US routine in a foreign airport. It would be out of habit and not due to any ridiculous notion that it improves security. Are there signs that say "Hey you, dumb American. Keep your shoes on." If there are, I will be OK.

Originally Posted by stifle (Post 20358977)

I saw a sign in LHR last week saying something like "only remove your shoes if instructed to by a security screening officer".

Originally Posted by exbayern (Post 20356264)

ORY is particularly dangerous to airplane security. Not only are there multiple locations of Paul landside, there is at least two outlets of Ladurée landside, a La Maison du Chocolat landside, and an outlet of Baillardran landside. Be forewarned.

Originally Posted by stifle (Post 20359507)

I like macarons.

Originally Posted by stifle (Post 20359507)

I like macarons.