Temporary Foot Condition

Hi all,

I recently read a post about someone not being able to remove shoes due to a medical condition, realized I'm flying soon, and decided to ask for input on here. Please, can we stay away from the usual hating-on-TSOs and cracking jokes in this one? Just want some input, especially from TSOs if they have any to offer.

Basically, I have a temporary foot condition that involves some itching/pain on some toes that may be caused by a form of fungus or whatever else shows up as less-than-savory on a microscope. It does hurt more with changes in temperature but no longer hurts when I put on socks/shoes so this post does not have to do with my own comfort or safety. Given that it hasn't been 100% identified/diagnosed and I'm no MD, I am concerned that when I take off my shoes and walk around my socks for security, I may create a situation in which other people could catch whatever I have if they walk on the same carpet after. It makes me think of how when you wear bowling shoes, they're supposed to spray them inbetween. Anyway, I'm not sure how this is transmitted, but I don't want anyone to get sick from the carpet. I guess I could say I can't remove my shoes and submit to a secondary, but the last time I was randomly selected for a secondary, while I was getting patted down, my items were still on the belt and another passenger jostled my laptop. I don't want to risk anything happening to my belongings. But I also don't want to give anyone the nasty toe thing.

So. Anyone have any idea how nasty toe stuff is spread? Would it likely be safe enough to temporarily just wear a few pairs of socks or would this draw attention? And do TSOs ever touch shoes out of sight? Because if so I definitely would want to let them know to change gloves after.

At least I know to delcare my anti-nastiness cream as a separate liquid item.

If you claim a medical condition you can leave your shoes on through the WTMD. You will receive additional screening. If you are asked to remove your shoes you should say you can not, as your feet are swollen and that you might possibly spread an infection. Make sure your shoes will not alarm the WTMD or a HHMD.

On another note, if you do want to romove your shoes, you can buy and wear baggies to wear over your feet/socks. Simply take your shoes off, slid the baggie on, and remove and discard the baggie when putting your shoes in. Some people use these everytime the travel. These can be found at some drug stores, grocery stores and medical supply stores.

If you do remove your shoes you should tell the TSOs you have a foot infection that they might get from touching your shoes. Not to be too mean, but if a TSO reaches into someones shoes without gloves they deserve what they might get. I would be more concerned with the TSO touching your shoes, then touching another persons property.

What a grotesque set of recommendations. Pathetic that one would have to go through all of that, given the fact that shoes are not a threat to any aircraft, anywhere in the world.

Seriously, regardless of whether we agree with the security procedures at this point, please please respect that I don't want to turn this thread into a big sounding board. There are other, more effective places for that, and we're not going to change policy by the time I head on my flight.

Thanks for the advice, SATTSO. I might have to resort to actual plastic sandwich bags on my feet since I'm not sure I'll have time to shop around, but it's a good idea and maybe the local drugstore will have some footies.

No need to tell them what your medical condition is, just simply you have one that prevents you from removing your shoes.

Welcome!

Just be prepared for the retaliatory secondary and plan enough extra time to deal with the supervisory hassle and complaint form.

True, but that is going to happen regardless of how specific you are. But do plan in the extra time.

Regarding the concern with your laptop... you may want to politely ask the TSOs if either you or they can remove your carry-ons from the belt if nothing alarmed. Specifically mention your concerns over something happening to your laptop (theft, destruction, accidents, etc) and tell them that this has happened to you in the past. I doubt that this approach will result in any assistance from them, but you never know. It never hurts to ask and see what happens.

You do have the right to have your stuff kept within sight of you when they are conducting a screening. If you're placed in an area where you can't see your stuff, they should make some accommodation. If not, ask a supervisor for assistance in resolving the matter.

that is about as simple and honest as you can get. straight forward and to the point (and yes, considerate when it comes to letting the tso's know about a possible infection as i'd sure as anything want to know if i might be handling "something that could be potentially contagious") ^

fist off, SATTSO's comments were, afaic, a perfect respsone to the op's question and seccond, where many of us "don't like the tsa" and how they do things, the op specifically asked "Please, can we stay away from the usual hating-on-TSOs and cracking jokes in this one? Just want some input, especially from TSOs if they have any to offer...."

I'm confused here. I see nothing in the Americans with Disability Act that requires that people who have a medical condition which prevents them from taking their shoes off have no metal in those shoes! If somebody has a medical condition which prevents them from removing their shoes and also requires those shoes to have metal in them (e.g., a brace), it is against US law for the TSA to either prevent them from flying or to require them to disclose private medical information. Can you clarify your remark above?

Um, ok, but I never said anything about preventing anyone from flying. If you wear your shoes and alarm the WTMD or HHMD there are more steps involved in the screening process. I was simply giving advice to make the process faster and with the least amount of inconvience for him/her when thy fly. And that was all I was saying

I do screen some frequent flyers who must wear their shoes, and their shoes have to have metal in them, as you mentioned above, so I am aware of that. They have never been refused to pass through the checkpoint. It simply takes a bit longer to screen them (and I mean only 1 or 2 minutes longer when I screen them).

i think what SATTSO was getting at is that if the shoes don't alarm the wtmd, you should only get a shoe (and maybe palm) swab but if they do alarm, then other measures need to be taken which may, in the worst case scenario, involve taking the shoes off. happened to me with a false positive on an etd swab and i did have to take my shoes off (just took 20 minutes as i need to be very slow, deliberate and careful i do it).

Thanks again for the continued thoughtful replies. The good news is the mysterious funk appears to be rapidly clearing up.

I have very bad feet (multiple corrective surgeries) and wear orthotics. If I take my shoes off to go through security the walk is painful. So I frequently state I have a medical condition which prevents me from removing my shoes. I pass through the regular metal detector, then I"m subjected to additional screening which usually involves sitting in a chair, removing the shoes, the agent takes them over to the sniffer device, and about a minute later the shoes are returned to me. I put the shoes back on and head to the gate. I do NOT usually get the pat-down.

There really is nothing to the procedure, just allow a few extra minutes. In your case I think you should state that you have a contagious condition and that if they handle your shoes they should wear latex gloves, discard the gloves, and wash their hands thoroughly before returning to work.

I find that extra time and large doses of patience are requirements for air travel nowadays. My husband is recently disabled and travels in his own wheelchair, so the two of us are quite the show going through security. We just arrive extra early and don't have much carry-on gear to cause complications.