Airport Friendly Shoes???

[showerofsparks]

Can anyone suggest some airport friendly shoes. That is, ones without metal in them. I would rather avoid taking my shoes off when going through security each time. I have been to a few shoe shops and asked this question, without any luck.

Thanks in advance.

[ascj]

Double pluggers or dunlop volleys (if you can afford them on pilots wages):E :E

[YesTAM]

Wot's wrong with Blunnies?

[disco_air]

I never have probs with shoes, but sometimes I have to take my belt off, sometimes I don't!

Funny. :\


..Disco

[brame]

My RM's brown boots set off the alarms, whilst my Black RM's don't.... Work that out:=

[dodgybrothers]

doc martens go real well with the metal detectors. No probs yet and a fair few of my colleagues have them as well and also no probs. Bit pricey though but ten years out of my last pair was good value for money.

[Deejay 1]

My brown RM's have never set off the alarm in ADL or MEL.
And come to think of neither have an old pair of black Aviator boots made by Rivers, but I don't think they make them anymore.

My genuine fake Breitling though did on one day set off the alarm the next day it didn't. And there wasn't even a drop dead stunningly good looking girl manning security!!!!!!!

Go figure

Go the RM's, they're Aussie made and tough.

[talespin]

Here's some helpful advice from TSA:
'Footwear that screeners are less likely to suggest you remove includes:
"Beach" flip-flops
Thin-soled sandals (without metal)'
http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1050.xml
Probably best to avoid these: '...during a routine security check on January 31, authorities at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport discovered electrical devices concealed inside the shoes of Gua Hongen, a Chinese national traveling through Istanbul from Beijing, China to Tripoli, Libya. The discovery of the device triggered a security alert at the airport.'
http://www.homelandsecurity.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Intel&file=index&view=535
But hopefully these will be deployed soon: '...the TSA is inviting companies to voluntarily participate in a test program to develop technologies for “Shoe Weapons Inspection Systems (SWIS) that can inspect footwear for weapons without passengers having to remove or divest them from their feet.”'
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8899022/

I'm no cobbler but most decent pairs of shoes probably have a degree of metallic content and, despite the nuisance, there's good reason for the extra scrutiny. Definitely avoid the thicker soled jobs. A good pair of Hush Puppies work for me...!

[Capt Claret]

talespin you said, despite the nuisance, there's good reason for the extra scrutiny.

If the quote is an endorsement of the increased security regime, then I'd say cobblers to that!

If one looney trying to set his foot bomb alight is reason to cause so much inconvenience and chaos at airports, then we should go the whole hog.


test each and every pilot & cc member for drugs an alcohol, because more than one has been caught trying to perform their duties under the influence.
test each and every baggie for drugs and alcohol, as they commence duty and each time they leave the premisis, as they've been known to be under the influence. There are even rumours that they facilitate the flow of contraband in and out of airports.
Test every bluddy body.
In fact, ban aeroplanes because they've been known to crash and kill people.

[18-Wheeler]

Try uggh boots.

And yeah man, ban everything.
:)

[talespin]

If the quote is an endorsement of the increased security regime, then I'd say cobblers to that!
If one looney trying to set his foot bomb alight is reason to cause so much inconvenience and chaos at airports, then we should go the whole hog.


Capt Claret
With the greatest respect, this wasn't just a lone looney. His mate got cold feet - have a look at:
'Reluctant shoe-bomb plotter jailed

A would-be British suicide bomber was jailed for 13 years Friday for plotting to blow up a US-bound passenger plane in mid-air in tandem with jailed "shoe bomber" Richard Reid.

Saajid Badat, 25, who pleaded guilty in February, decided not to go ahead with the plot, which would have seen him blow up a plane simultaneously with Reid in December 2001.

Instead he kept the dismantled device at his home in St James, Gloucester, in the west of England, where pieces were found in a police raid. ...'
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1352003.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/04/22/uk.shoebomb.sentence/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1505707,00.html

And then there was this:
'Four al Qaeda operatives were supposed to hijack an airliner, seize the controls and ram the aircraft into the tallest building on the West Coast -- the U.S. Bank Tower, formerly known as the Library Tower. The weapons used were to have been explosives the operatives concealed in their shoes, which supposedly would have aided them in blowing off the cockpit doors.'
http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=262289&countryId=1

I understand your gripe, especially having pilots screened - and believe me I don't enjoy playing footsie with the guards anymore than you do - but the problem is if you start making exceptions, where do you stop? The baddies have the intent and the know-how - I heard a security brief a while back that darn near knocked my socks off - and I'd much rather go through a bit of a hassle on the ground than go to bits at FL340. My gripe is if they don't do everybody over equally - eg ground staff with airside access - and keep their minds on the job 100% of the time.

Cheers

PS: Sorry to hijack the point of your thread, showerofsparks. And for the bad punning.

[Capt Basil Brush]

Buy the shoes you like, and keep the receipt.

Take them with you (not wear them) next time you go to work, and ask security can you test them through the walk-through screener to see if they 'set it off'. If they set the machine off, take them back and pick another pair. Very sad, but it's what things have come to unfortunately.

It worked fine for me. :ok:

[zlin77]

Try Aussie made RIVERS brand, mine don't excite any detectors anywhere. And that includes numerous U.S. airports where the sensitivity is normally wound right up.

[nasa]

It doesn't matter one little bit what you wear. Even if you have frog skin Japanese riding boots, you get the dreaded SSSS on your Boarding Pass in the US and off comes the shoes. Always amazes me. The SSSS are supposed to be computer generated, yet it is usually the single (travelling that is) white anglo saxon that appears to get picked.
I wear a medium size watch and on a my last two visits to the US this year, I've played a little game going thru the various securities. As I walk thru with the watch on, I allow my arm to swing slightly out from my side. Sure enough, off she goes. Next time I walk thru with my arm across my midriff. No alarm. Try it some time.

[chief wiggum]

Here's some helpful advice from TSA:
'Footwear that screeners are less likely to suggest you remove ...


when was the last time that they "REQUESTED" you remove your shoes??

normally "TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF" are about the only words of english they speak, and then they BARK at you ... hardly a "request"!

FWIW, security cannot MAKE you remove any part of your clothing. they can REQUEST only. you have the right to refuse, and trhen be subject to a "wanding"... then they can do a "private search", which you can DEMAND that be doen by two officers of the same sex as you...

[woftam]

I have never set off a metal detector wearing my RM's.
Have had three pairs of "Tambo" style RM's and walk straight through every time. ;)
Great boots too!!!

[Howard Hughes]

As I walk thru with the watch on, I allow my arm to swing slightly out from my side. Sure enough, off she goes. Next time I walk thru with my arm across my midriff. No alarm. Try it some time.
Arms behind your back (at ease) works well!!:ok:

[GearOff]

Another vote for RMs, no probs here (mine are black) and great quality boots.

[18-Wheeler]

My RM's quite frequently set off the detectors.
Had them since 1992 though, no chance of me parting wtih them!

[Lab_Rat]

My shoes have metal in them but they are really good shoes and I like them. If I step through the detectors so only one foot is in the detection zone at any time they almost never go off. Its usually a bigger than normal step and looks a little weird but thats I hate having to take my bl**dy shoes off everytime I go to work:ugh:

[404 Titan]

I have both a brown and black pare of RM’s and it is 50/50 the number of times they set off the detectors. I find in Melbourne they set the detectors off all the time. Sydney and Brisbane much less. In the good ol US of A you have to take them off all the time as it is a requirement so having boots over shoes makes the whole process much easier. No shoe laces. :ok:

[Capt Claret]

Lab_Rat

I've had the nazis at ASP write a letter to my employer complaining about my silly monty python walk through the metal detector for doing exactly what you describe. I've lost count of the times they've told me I have to walk normally through the machine.

In the same letter they complained about me being argumentative, after I responded to their exhaltations that they were only doing it to ensure my safety, with the comment codswallop

After removing belt, boots (RMs) and all metal except wings/name badge the other day, one of the Darwin nazis said, gee you were unlucky today weren't you

Unlucky my @rse! :ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

[Ultralights]

http://ultralight.net.au/forum/forums/get-attachment.asp?action=view&attachmentid=439

[Lab_Rat]

Yes the Basil Fawlty walk does get a strange look but so far so good for me.

Those Nazis can be b@stards but I just smile & think "you are going to be doing this sh!t all day - have fun":rolleyes: "Ta Ta":E