Shoes vs. Bins
 

Does anyone know the "real" policy for the placement of shoes?

I have on ocassion been bruskly reprimanded for placing my shoes in a bin, and also bruskly reprimanded for placing them on the conveyor. The last time I looked we were instructed by Homeland Security to place shoes on the conveyor and not in the bins.

Or course there is the classic which I experienced within the last two years -
1. Sign on line reads remove shoes
2. I foolishly heed sign and remove shoes
3) TSA before "puffer" asks why I removed my shoes, and tells me to put them on.
4) I ask the TSA if she has read the signs on the line to which she responds no.
5) I suggested that she do so to have some semblance of understanding as to why the literate passengers are doing what they are with their belongings.
4) TSA after "puffer", and before X-ray machine asked why I am wearing my shoes and, in my opinion, rudely tells me to remove them for the machine.
5) Now why would any passenger get annoyed at such clear instructions?

I don't really care which way it is, but for heavens sake, will someone make up their minds!

The real policy is whatever the screener says it is.

Depends which side of the bed they got out of and whether there's an "r" in the month.

It's called designed inconsistency in TSAspeak. In normal speech, you may use the word 'clueless'.

it is not mandatory that shoes be placed on the conveyor tho many tso's in field "beg to differ" belt but as Wally Bird notes.....

.... consistent inconsistency-thy name is tsa® :rolleyes:

+1

When I fly out of DEN, I have no problem putting my shoes in the bin. However, MCI can be very rude if you put your shoes in the bin. :rolleyes: However, they always seem to miss my larger bottle of hand sanitizer or my half full water bottle in the bag.

Additional evidence that TSA cannot teach its employees even the most basic of tasks.

I'd strongly recommend and encourage all passengers to simply not remove their shoes at all, out of "medical necessity". Depending upon one's perspective, it may be more convenient to keep them on and have a TSO come over and swab them for you while you sit and wait.

I know that I'd rather sit and make one of them work for their pay than remove my shoes and walk in socks or walk barefoot across the floor. As a matter of fact, I intend to do just this when I fly out of IAD this summer for a vacation.

I've talked with several TSA supervisors at different airports about this. TSA's official policy is that the shoes on the belt vs shoes in the bin is to be taken under advisement. They don't want stuff hiding the shoes or crammed into the shoes. It isn't rocket science and shouldn't be much, if any, area of contention between TSOs and passengers (but we know how that goes). I look for the signs. No signs and the shoes go into the bin. TSA must improve the way it processes passengers.

Yabut a pair of shoes inside a rollaboard that's stuffed will garner nary a second look.

In-bins or on-the-belt is a really stupid discussion for screeners to have when shoes inside a suitcase breeze through.

Didn't you know that a traveller's carry-on bag is a magic device? It and the shoe fairy are both capable of rendering shoe bombs completely useless... :D

If you're wearing expensive shoes, it is very annoying to have the TSA screener take them from the bin and throw them on the belt. (Sometimes not even with the soles facing down!)

I put my shoes in a bin because I don't want them to get scratched or banged up in the machine. LAS and MCO screeners, for some reason, hate the fact that some Americans like or need to wear expensive shoes and generally take them out and throw them on the belt.

Hmmm, selective magic protection, eh? Works with shoes, but won't work with liquids, gels, and aerosols. Perhaps the magic cart vendors use makes those items safe to sell after the checkpoint.:D

I'm beginning to think that TSA lives in the world of Harry Potter and thinks us passengers are all just muggles... :D :D :D :) :rolleyes:

TSA should NEVER handle your items prior to their entering the x-ray. In order to prevent them from doing so, I maintain control of all my items until the belt moves them into the x-ray. On occasion, a TSO tries to be helpful and re-arrange my items. I usually interpret this as a genuine attempt to help me, but I try and politely point out that some of the items are fragile, and I would rather leave things as they are.

On one occasion I had a TSO get smarmy and forcibly move my things around. I loudly stated, "do not touch my possessions, please!" She replied, "fine, but you are going to pay for this, you stupid idiot" and proceeded to make me go through secondary screening. Fortunately, in this case, the Sup was standing right there, and made her apologize to me.

In general, once I assert I want my shoes in the bin, the TSO usually relents.

Next time, put your cell phone, extra batteries, and headphones in your shoes before placing them in a bin and covering themm up with your jacket. ;)

bolding mine: and said shoes go thru an x-ray machine to look for hidden items, right? yup-rocket science at its best :rolleyes:

shhhhhh, that makes waaaayyyyy too much sense