Here's some more info from the TSA:
www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=1

Shoe screening policy:

TSA has instructed all Screeners that passengers are NOT required to remove their shoes. However, if your shoes alarm while proceeding through the metal detector, you will be subjected to a secondary screening.

TSA may have a written policy not to request shoe removal but at many aiports the screeners ask you to do it. What is the big deal. Take off your shoes. Go through, put them back on. If you are worried about germs, dirt etc. wear shoes that can be worn with socks. Looking at the big picture it must make screeners jobs easier and the lines move faster.

I can't believe the number of germaphobes out there. I had to take my Birkenstocks off in San Diego and in Killeen, TX after setting off the detector. I didn't have socks on or even with me in my carry on. I have more important things to worry about than germs on the floor. And really, are nylons going to stop germs from getting on your feet? I mean nylons have spaces beteen the fibers(as do scoks as well), so germs can still get on your feet.

How many of you walk around your hotel room, or poolside with out shoes? Are you worried of germs then? They don't shampoo the hotel carpet between guests. What about all the germs on the beach? Our immume systems were designed to handle germs. Germs are every where. You can't get away from them.

Well, yesterday I said I'd find out today what they are doing at Ft. Lauderdale, and I did. They ask you to remove your shoes. I saw one woman flatly refuse. Not only did they give her the wand treatment-- over every inch of her body, but as I left for my gate they had her emptying out the entire comments of her carryon and purse. Guess they were showing her for not being cooperative.

Come on now, it's a foolish rule when it comes to women in summer shoes. As I recall none of the hijackers were middle aged white women. If what you say is correct and the women went through the detector without buzzing then indeed she was being picked on. As you can see by the TSA's own website it is stated in black and white that you are not required to take off your shoes. I have said no twice in Las Vegas and San Diego and have not been taken aside for additional screening. I was wearing regular plastic sandals with a one inch heel. If I do get asked to step aside so be it, it's safer than the alternative of athlete's feet. Some airports don't ask travelers to take off shoes, some don't.

travelinwifey, you still don't get it. If I wanted to smuggle something onto a plane--whether it's a gun, drugs, a knife, a bomb or whatever, I would use a person who does NOT fit the profile to do my smuggling. That could be a little old lady in a wheelchair, a young child or perhaps even a middle-aged woman in summer shoes.

I totally get it but do not agree. You are insulting my intelligence. There are sometimes the screening process goes too far and obviously the TSA agrees. Please don't make me out to be a renegade, I am a normal law abiding citizen who pays her fair share of taxes and does things to better the community. There is a line between safety and terrorizing someone. If I had any of those things you mentioned in my one inch heel the alarm would go off. I notice you like to bicker with others on this board, please don't pull me into the mix. Thank you.

The shoe thing is a perfect example of what a travesty this upgraded "security" has become. I am all for taking extra measures but the problem is that none of the airports are consistant. We left DIA (which has very strict no nonsense security) 2 weeks ago for a vacation. First they asked everyone to remove their shoes (although we did see one guy just walk through with his on) and put all metal or additional items in a box to go through the scanner. Then you walk through a scanner barefoot. I (for whatever reason I beeped and I wear very little metal as it is). I then had to wait in a glass enclosure until a woman hand wanded me, asked me to sit down and lift up my barefeet and such. On our way home out of San Diego's Lindburgh airport it was completly opposite. They have a sign that says anyone making any comments about Hi-jacking will be taken seriously. I was wearing sandals that you pretty much see my entire foot in. The woman asked me to take them off and I was going to carry them in my hand but then she said I could wear them if I didn't think there was any metal in them. I personally think the whole thing is a joke. If someone really wanted to smuggle a weapon or bomb onto a plane they would find a way to get around the random and inconsistant checks. If they are going to attempt to make this work, everyone at every airport should be doing the same thing. Although it would probably create a lot of headaches, the safest thing to do would be to scan or search everyone as you are boarding your plane.

I surrender! I'll just blissfully take off my shoes, go through security and pass through quietly and QUICKLY!

PS: And, for the record, I, too, am a law-abiding citizen, pay my fair share of taxes and do things to better my commnity!

travelinwifey,
And on Sept. 10th no one in the world, to my knowledge, was warning about 4-5 arabs hijacking planes, murdering the flight attendants and pilots, and crashing them into buildings, right? So let's not get our knickers in a know about having to take your shoes off FCS.

I travel once or twice A WEEK and I always just take them off. I can't stand being delayed and it ticks me off when I get behind someone who will not cooperate. I think there should be a different line for these people.
It should be the same line as the people who wait until they get to the front of the line to prepare for the security process.
Lenleigh... what's DIA (it's not an airport code like JFK, PDX, DFW, etc...)
Are you referring to IAD (Dulles) DEN (Denver) DFW (Dallas) Detroit (DTW) or another city?

Please do not put words in my mouth. I certainly (as should you) am not all that concerned about MY FEET going through security. There are indeed much more important things to worry about than whether or not I decide to take off my shoes. And you know what, next time I just may take my shoes off! All I was doing is providing info that taking one's shoes off is not a requirement. I bid this thread farewell before anyone else can make incorrect judgements about me. Good evening folks.

Just flew a couple of weeks ago Memphis to Phoenix and didn't have to take off the shoes either way. I was asked if I wanted to going but informed I didn't have to. Wasn't asked at all on the way back.

I chose to, because my shoes have metal "lace holes" (did you know those things have real names and absolutely no one knows or cares what that name is?... anyway) and they sometimes set off the sensors.

Clifton, the "metal lace holes" are called aglets.

I flew to NYC in March and you can imagine that people were asked to removed their shoes. The TSA agent was VERY nice in her manners and she was berated by a lady in front of me - bordering on verbal abuse about being searched/taking off shoes. I felt terrible for the lady and just said to her that I appreciate what they do. She said to me quietly that maybe if people really didn't like all the security then we should have two planes - one for the people who don't want to go through security and one for those that do. Anytime that I find myself complaining about long lines, taking shoes off, or getting the wand treatment, I remind myself of what would happen if we didn't have the security.

leslie, I knew someone was going to know.

Now I've got another bit of trivia slipped into a brain cell that was meant for something else. One day, when my wife looks me in the eye at the airport and says "You didn't bring the tickets???" I'll look her right back, with a confused expression and reply "aglets".

The thing about the shoes is that it was so "reactive". Until the shoe bomber guy, shoes weren't checked. Now they are. I have always been grateful that the shoe bomber did not try to hide his explosives secreted in some body cavity, if you know what I mean.

Marilyn, I do know what you mean!!

Aglets! that is a good word for so many things! Would you like another Aglet sir? There is a fly in my Aglet! Whoops! I slipped on an Aglet!

Who would have thought that my little report on Shoe Security would provide so many opinions, and ideas
While I will continue to wear summer shoes in the summer for travel, I will bring a little peds to cover my bare feet. In the winter, I will just burn my socks afterwards
I agree with those who say that Whatever Security can do to make sure we are safe should be done and I am happy to co-operate. And just like all lines where people wait until the last minute to pull out their money/ticket/whatever, I do wish everyone would just strip off what they need to strip and get through that scanner!
I remember right after the Shoe Bomber Idiot, the only people they were asking to remove shoes were small white haired ladies and I always felt so bad for them. I never did figure that out-was it for show or was there an alert somewhere for a Granny Bomber??
I hope all of you have Happy& Safe Travels!

Interresting thread. I admit that I said "no" last month when traveling. But never would I hold up the line becuse I don't want to take my shoes off. Once winter comes I think there will be a much greater need for shoe removal with all the thick shoes & boots.