are pax required to take shoes off?
 

I passed through security at LAS around noon on saturday going to my UA flight. I get to the metal detector and I had my shoes on. I was quite tired after working 12+ hour days and didnt' feel like doing the monkey dance to get my shoes off and then back on. The woman said, "Please take off your shoes." I kindly said, "I'll go for a secondary check." She demanded I take off my shoes. I kindly said, "I'll just go for a secondary." She said, "ALL PASSENGERS MUST TAKE OFF THEIR SHOES AND GET A SECONDARY SCREENING OR SHOULD I CALL OVER A SUPERVISOR." I said, "Sure call over a supervisor and while at it I'm requesting a private screening room." Over comes Jim #430xx (IIRC) and repeated the woman's demands. I said, "That isn't correct." he said it is. I said, "If I have a medical condition with my feet I do not have to take off my shoes so obviously there are some exceptions. I'll admit I do not have a medical condition but am quite tired after working 12+ hour days the past week and just didn't feel like taking off my shoes, walking on the very dirty floor so I kindly requested a secondary." He volunteered I speak to his manager. So I take off my shoes and asked for booties to which they of course had none. I ran my stuff through. Ironically, the woman who was screaming at me changed positions two seconds before I went through the metal detector. The new guy looks at my boarding pass and waves me on. I grab my sneakers and sit on the table to put my shoes on since there are no seats within 20 feet. The guy looking at the xrays starts yelling at me to get off. I ignored him. My 22" rollerboard got stopped. I forgot I put an open end wrench for my bike pedals in there. Stupid me. The nice woman takes it out and confirms it is less than 7" and lets me go. I then spoke to this woman manager (name?) and she said that shoes do have ot come off. I then said, "I've flown well over 200k miles in the past year and a half and I've never ever had a problem with requesting a secondary. So I ask, is it the security that I've seen in 20+ states is completely incompetent at protecting the american public or this rule is being completely made up on the fly. I then said that I don't expect an answer because I doubt she is at liberty to answer.


So is it absolutely mandatory that passengers take off their shoes? If so, are all these other security points completely incompetent? Umm, no need to answer the 2nd question. Maybe I should just have a doctor friend write me a prescription for orthotics.

It's amazing that I really am not about being a real PITA but the woman was quite rude and in my belief she probably made up the rules otherwise the other hundred checkpoints were incompetent.

Barring medical exceptions, yes.

Thanks for the quick reply. From now on I won't ask for a secondary. So I guess all these other checkpoints are doing quite shoddy jobs. :rolleyes:

Actually, all TSA checkpoints are doing a shoddy job since X-rays can't detect explosives in shoes. Moreover, explosives can be concealed in body cavities and in many other articles of clothing that are not removed at the checkpoint. So why even subject pax to the inconvenience and indignity? Well, it makes for good security theater. The only reason for the shoe carnival is because of that moron, Richard Ried, and because it's easier for them to demand we remove our shoes than it would be for them to strip-search every man, woman and child. It's unfortunate that the sheeple put up with dirty floors, lack of booties, and the absence of chairs.

I am diabetic and wear an insulin pump. From reading FT I understand now that I do not have to remove my shoes, even though I have always done so in the past. Do I have to carry a letter or something from my doctor to prove my medical condition?

Thank you,

I think the medical condition has to be related to your feet or your ability to take your shoes off.

HTB.

Well diabetics have to be especially careful when not wearing shoes. Wounds to the extremities can be dangerous and take a long time to heal. Hence, endocrinologists always warn their patients to always wear shoes. If you get a wound on your feet you may not be aware of it due to insensitivity in the area and problems can arise. I know I have seen a post about this somewhere, but I can't remember when or where.

Diabetic neuropathies and ulcers are very bad conditions. A diabetic can get to the place where their foot needs to be amputated. So, yes, foot problems are related to diabetes.

A card from the doc would/might help, but the insulin pump says it all

Don't you know, shoes are the devil and the cause for evil in our society?

Thank god the TSA is protecting us from evil shoes.

here are these two things from the tsa website which should help and where i wear custom fitted othotics as a result of ankle sugery, i carry both printouts with me when i fly:

My bible: http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/assets/pdf/sp...needs_memo.pdf

look under orthopedic shoes: http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/travelers/air...rial_1370.shtm


Orthopedic Shoes, Support Appliances, and Other Exterior Medical Devices

• Advise the Security Officer if you are wearing orthopedic shoes, support appliances, or other exterior medical devices and where the devices are located.
  
• If you are wearing an exterior medical device and are uncomfortable with going through the metal detector or be handwanded, you may request a pat-down inspection and visual inspection of your device instead.
  
• You should be offered a private screening if clothing is required to be lifted to complete the inspection process.
  
• Security Officers should not be asking you to remove your orthopedic shoes, appliances, or medical device (insulin pump, feeding tube, ostomy or urine bag, or exterior component of cochlear implant) at any time during the screening process.
  
• Advise the Security Officer if you have an ostomy or urine bag. You will not be required to expose these devices for inspection.
  
• If you have a non-invasive (exterior) bone growth stimulator or other device that operates under a specific magnetic calibration, which cannot be X-rayed because the calibration of these units cannot be disrupted, you may request a visual and physical inspection of your device in lieu of being X-rayed.
  
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) and other exterior disability and medical related devices are allowed through the security checkpoint once they have been screened.
  
• At any time during the screening process you can request a disposable paper drape for privacy.

Can you share with us those airports that have done a secondary at your request while your shoes are still on? I think many of us would really be able to use that information.

Diabetics are not supposed to take off their shoes in public places because they have an elevated risk of infection, even from athlete's foot, that can progress to amputation. So diabetics should be allowed to keep their shoes on. What "should be" and what "is" may be two different things in the real world, sad to say.

Yes, the insulin pump does say it all, but remember that many screeners don't have a clue as to the connection between the pump and injuries/infections to the foot.

I would not even tell them that I am a diabetic. I would just say the pump delivers medication and I cannot take my shoes off.

Remember also that they cannot ask you any questions about your medical condition. If a screener starts to push, immediately call for a supervisor.

I've been through too many airports to remember specific ones especially since it wasn't exactly a memorable moment in my life. :) Certainly SFO, my home airport, does it countless times with no questions whatsoever. I'm very certain SJC was fine too. In fact, I had no problems previously at LAS.

No, the shoe carnival goes on because the TSA sacked the deployment of the 'puffers,' and have yet, after five+ years after Richard Reid, to get something that detects explosives in shoes.

But now they're checking rail stations. :rolleyes: