they were flat out wrong :mad: and i would have told them that tsa policy is that if there is no alarm with shoes on, it is a swab and that's it. the patdown is fine as i run about 50/50 with it but they need to have cause to look in your bag-either SSSS or something showed up on the x-ray machine (and they are required to tell you what they are looking at/for).

That's what I thought. I've looked on the TSA website and couldn't find anything on this topic. Do we have an idea of where I could find the official policy on this?

Thanks!
Mike

Done under the guise of "continuous screening?"

Excellent suggestion! Better yet, if everyone refused to go shoeless on a particular day, they'd really get the message. It could be called "National Shoe Day" or something like that. The TSA couldn't ground everybody for refusing to participate in their sick and disgusting ritual, which has absolutely nothing to do with security.

Out of "an abundance of caution," Kippie would probably ground all aircraft on that day. :mad:

This was exactly the excuse the supervisor gave me at MKE today when I was groped after not taking my shoes off and not setting off the magnetometer. :td:

And I told him what I thought of his "excuse"... :rolleyes:

Maybe he would. Of course, that would cause an enormous outpouring of protest from the airlines, not to mention the abundance of outrage from most pax. It would certainly help to make the public aware of just how useless and unsanitary the shoe carnival is.

Sick and disgusting? That's a wee bit harsh, eh? Considering what's happening in Afganastan, what you described is just a tip toe through the tulips. :p

The United States is a developed country. Here, people normally do not walk around in public buildings barefoot or in their stocking feet. As another poster mentioned, winter weather means sloppy conditions. Most airport restrooms have liquid of one sort or another on the floors, which liquid then gets tracked all over, including the floors at checkpoints. There is a reason why life expectancy has historically been lower in Afghanistan than it is here in the United States.

I think it's a great idea. Set a date 6 months in the future and start to organize a national day of civil disobedience at the airports.

Great idea - but it will never happen.

Didn't think they'd even let you thru without taking your shoes off any more. At least what I had been hearing, secondary wasn't an option anymore. If it is, I'll be keeping my shoes on again.

I thought it was ridiculous my 2 year old son's sandals had to be removed. :td:

I agree that this is a highly disgusting behaviour we're being demanded to follow. So, my question is: Why doesn't the Health Department get involved?? Certainly people from there also travel and have to go through the shoe carnival - how can they not see what we see and do something about it?

DD

I think a short walk with shoes off is hardly going to be a health risk (for those without a medical condition) even less of a risk if your wearing socks.

I would say about 99% of passengers who take their shoes off on board don't put them back on before going to the toilet - there is your health risk.

I see it all the time and the only good thing to come out of that is I don't need to mop the toilet floors since all the passengers socks are doing it for me! (of course I still clean the floor - just making a point)

Taking your shoes off for 5 seconds should be the least of your worries. If your putting a plastic cover over your feet, make sure you put one on your seat, on the plane floor, on the... actually would someone invent a plane condom - that way we can all be safe!

I find it a truely disgusting process. And then we get to put our feet back in our shoes. I don't even walk around my own home (or any other) without slippers on my feet.

As for pax going to the lav in stocking feet... Eeeeewwww! Some people weren't brought up - they were dragged! :D Actually, if that is their choice, who am I to judge? It's what I choose for myself and what I am being obliged to do to which I am objecting.

DD