:rolleyes: :td:

Orthopedic shoes are a medical reason for not removing shoes per TSA's website. Many people cannot remove those shoes without pain and difficulty. This isn't a matter of asserting one's rights. This is a matter of TSA breaking down and harassing a pax based on VALID reason that is exempt per their OWN policy. Taking the path of least resistance is what enables this crap to continue.

Kudos to the OP for standing up to these idiots. ^

I'm going to have to clarify something here. Anytime you are getting treated like this, get out the cell phone and take photos. If the TSA screeners want your ID before giving you a complaint form, then a photo of them will do quite well. Especially when they very conveniently refuse to identify themselves. Then we can see about posting their photos here on Flyertalk.

This will not get better until we bring this unacceptable behavior to a screeching halt. Baltimore BWI is the only airport that has rules against taking photos of any security, so find other means to deal with those TSA screeners there.

thank you :) (and iirc, you are the one that sent it to me ^)

Who got it from me. ;)

Glad it's posted elsewhere on the net though. :) ^

Only if your shoes were going to explode.

The SSIs were SSIing on the SSI
 

It's also the Compliment form. It would be amusing if everyone stuck a really dog eared ripped copy on top of their laptop in the bin, where eagle eyed TSOs would see and inquire about it. Giving you the excuse to reply "Oh, that's the blank Compliment form I've been carrying around for the last three years, I'm still looking for an occasion to use it." :D

OTOH, some have mentioned meeting TSOs who call it a "SSI Form". The fine print on the bottom does mention it is SSI, but that would have to be after it is filled out. If the blank Complaint form is SSI, then no TSO can ever legaly hand one out to a member of the flying public. Oh. Wait. Perhaps that is their intention. :td:

I could be wrong about this, as I haven't read this part of the SOP lately, but I believe if you refuse to remove your shoes for a medical reason, AND you alarm a metal detector, your shoes HAVE to go through the X-ray.

And this makes sense, because how would be know whether it's a brace, shank or knife that's causing the alarm?

Now the OP didn't tell us whether he alarmed the mag, but if he did, the TSOs actually were following the SOP.

If he *didn't* alarm the mag, he needs to make this clear in his complaint letter .. otherwise, the person in authority who reads this may assume the passenger simply didn't understand the procedure and what was required of him.

Well, if so, that's stupid. If you have metal inside your body they certainly don't make you go through the x-ray machine. A leg brace/orthopedic shoe combination isn't particularly different. Only people who've never had to wear them or help someone get it on or off would think of that as a simple procedure.

Amen to that. Killed me when my son ended up going to school there. Ok... maybe the tuition killed me more, but that's one area I go out of my way to avoid. Now that he's graduated there will be no more PHL for me. :D

Kind of problematic - I'm low tech and have a vanilla cell phone - no video. I'm certain that pictures would have escalated things beyond where I wanted to go. It did help that my travelling companion was nearby taking notes.


Well, I did not alarm . . . and that's one of the things the WTMD guy should have communicated to the penalty box attendent. The second guy was totally clueless as to what got me to him unless they used ASL or ESP. You know what they say about assume.

If I did alarm, that's what the wand is for - to pinpoint where the metal is or to determine the WTMD alarm was false. Don't the screeners call this "clearing an alarm." Unless the wand alarms at the shoe(s), they stay on. There is no reason to xray a shoe if a hip replacement causes the alarm. That's why the pat down, right?

The swab is a better check of shoe bombs than xrays . . . I'm OK with them checking for residue.

Thanks for the support.

To DLFan2 - my shoes are normal looking. But to get them on and off I practically have to take the shoelaces out. Bending and twisting the foot and ankle to do otherwise causes intense pain. I refuse to wear the velcro "monster boots" until absolutely necessary, which may be never if I'm lucky. I do however sleep with a foot brace to avoid the bending. Walking shoeless is a bear for more than a few careful steps . . . special shower clogs work OK.

Sorry, but it is. If the HHMD alarms on your hip replacement, we pat down the area to determine there is nothing concealed between your clothing and body. That's kinda hard to do with a shoe, which has a rigid sole. Could be a knife (etc.) in there.

You are correct on the procedure. Unless your shoe had metal in it, or some kind of visible tampering that aroused suspicion, you should have been allowed to leave it on.

You are wrong. Most orthopedic shoes do have metal in them. The wearer is NOT required to remove those shoes.

A person acting under the guise of Federal authority should be required to identify themselves and show ID to any member of the public upon request. Obviously there would have to be exceptions (emergencies, undercover officers, etc.), but a TSO, FAA inspector, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs :) etc. should lose the power associated with their position the moment the refuse to show their ID (again, within reason). I'd say it's much more important to verify the identity of someone acting under the guise of Federal authority than it is to verify the identity of some random person being searched.

How about requiring TSOs, etc. to carry business cards (handed out on demand) that can be used to ID them? They don't have the person's full name, perhaps a first name and a unique ID, plus a way to contact their supervisor and a mailing address compliments, comments, complaints etc.

Guess the folks at PHL didn't learn anything from her complaint. Or they outright lied about improving things.

I was under the impression that they had to give you their first name and ID number upon request?

Mike