cordelli

Belize required it, though the rest of the screening process was a total joke.

phedre

I guess I'm one of those odd people that don't find sneakers comfortable. I wear them to run, but my shoes of choice for any kind of distance walking or travel situation will always be Fluevogs. I pack my sneakers in my travel bag. But then I have tons of room as I pack very lightly and use compression bags for all my clothing.

And yes I fully agree, it's a stupid rule.

bajajoes

Does anyone think tsa would have a problem with shoes being inside a clear plastic bag and then put on the belt or in a bin?
My wife would like to do this not only to protect her shoes but to help keep bins & belt clean.^

exbayern

I have no idea, but I have been blissfully keeping my shoes on for several weeks now.

I happened to say to an Australian last week that I was enjoying this, and he looked at my feet clad in ballet flats with an extremely puzzled face. I had to clarify that in the US, one is required to remove shoes. As he travels even more than I do to more 'Supposedly Super Scary' places than I, he was baffled as to why the US required shoe removal.

I gave up trying to explain; the discussion just seemed so absurd.

Majuki

Seeing as though shoes inside a carryon bag don't come out, I don't see a problem with this. However, the bins have already been contaminated by thousands of other pax with their shoes in them. Imagine people walking around the bathroom floor just minutes before and placing those in the same bins as your kippie bag is placed.

I think if anything the shoe removal requirement should be removed itself for sanitary reasons. It's disgusting when you consider where people's shoes have been.

Australian domestic flights are great. No ID checks. No boarding pass to get through security. No scanners. No LGA 100 mL restrictions. No shoe removal. Friendly people.

gobluetwo

My recollection is that they asked your destination and, if you said US, shoes were requested to come off. They did provide the sandals and actually put them on my feet for me (nice touch). There were others who did not have to remove their shoes because they were not heading to the US.

At MUC (flying MUC-ORD), I did not have to remove my shoes, but they did wand the soles.

N830MH

Yes, I have been there in ZRH for 3 times. I have no problem for me at all. When I flew out ZRH back on December 2009. I got alarm with my watch and he & I were escorted me in the private room. He wand me and some patdown. I told him that I don't have anything at all. When I hear the beep and that was my watch when I walk through metal detector. When I clear at secondary screening in the private room. I walks to x-ray that I retrieve my personal items.

When I flew back home to USA and I required takeoff the shoes. I kept my belt & watch on when I walks through metal detector. I have absolutely no problem for me at all. I have been experience went through at security in ZRH for 3 times.

janetdoe

When I flew LHR-ORD in March and April, I was not asked to take off my shoes. But the metal detector went off both times. I assumed the underwire in my bra or the zipper on my jeans caused the detector to go off.

I mentioned this to the screener the second time, and she said it was because my shoes were bulky. (I usually wear slip-on clogs during air travel.) But there is no metal in my shoes.

So I guess my question is: how can a metal detector can detect bulky non-metallic shoes?

RadioGirl

Not quite serious answer: this is the country where a screener famously claimed that pasta is a liquid because you have to add liquid to cook it. Where do they get these people, by advertising on pizza boxes or something?

Serious answer: non-metallic shoes - bulky or otherwise - can't set off the WTMD but she decided you weren't a threat and she couldn't be bothered to figure out what was really causing the alarm. Count yourself lucky. (I guess you didn't subsequently blow up your plane with your underwire bra? )

Q-STO

It is not very consistent in France.

CDG and ORY (European and domestic flights): Only some types of footwear e.g. boots, thick-soled shoes, clumpy shoes must be removed.

No shoe removal at other French airports I've been through (MRS/MPL/NCE).

stifle

My experience throughout the UK and Ireland is that only "bulky" shoes have to come off, which in practice means anything that goes above the ankle and any high heels. In the UK, some airports (MAN and LCY being the ones I have observed) require that your shoes are x-rayed if you trigger the WTMD (and have cute little shoe carnival machines right after the WTMD for this purpose). Some airports (LHR is the one I've seen) from time to time require everyone in some of the lanes to remove their shoes.

I'm unaware (with the exception of DUB as mentioned above) of the treatment being any different depending on whether or not one is flying to the US, although I understand there is some secondary screening that takes place near the gate for US-bound flights.

exbayern

I agree; the pictures in the UK also show/state that. 'Bulky' shoes or boots, including those rather, er, bulky Crocs that some people like to wear. My ballet flats have never caused any concern at all.

Bob'sYourUncle

Thankfully there are several countries where you keep your shoes on, even if you are flying to the US. Mexico, for instance. ^

t325

I've only flown out of LHR and FRA en route to the US and didn't have to take my shoes off at either one. Never had to take them off for intra-Europe flights either.

You always know who the Americans are when in line at security at foreign airports because they're the ones without shoes on.

ricktoronto

BKK was shoes on however that was the VIP/Diplomat/CIP Fast track lane and I don't know if the regular lines have a different set of rules. Liquids were left in the suitcase, I don't think they cared about that vs. a rules saying yes or no.

SAL all shoes off as there is one entrance for all international flights. Liquids out.

MGA VIP entrance you could have a bazooka and all they'd want is to x-ray it before giving it back, regular entrance, shoes off. Computers in sometimes, out sometimes, liquid bag, leave in the suitcase.

HKG shoes on and the most efficient security, passport control system, check-in in the world I think. For transfer security it is very casual, not even computer out of the bag. Liquids leave in the suitcase.