this post was submitted on 29 Feb 2024

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Why You Have to Take Your Shoes Off at Airports - Shoe Bomb (2001) (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

52 comments fedilink hide all child comments

On December 22, 2001—just months after the 9/11 attacks—Richard Reid boarded American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami with homemade bombs hidden in his shoes.

During the flight, Reid tried to detonate his shoes, but he struggled to light the fuse. Crew members and passengers noticed and restrained him.

The plane diverted to Logan International Airport in Boston, and Massachusetts State Police officers took Reid into custody. Reid told FBI agents that he made the shoes himself.

This is the pair of shoes [Richard] Reid—also known as the “shoe bomber”—tried to detonate. FBI bomb techs determined that the shoes contained about 10 ounces of explosive material.

https://www.fbi.gov/history/artifacts/richard-reids-shoes

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

Moral of the story: if you want something to reliably blow up, use an e-match

[–] [email protected] 65 points 8 months ago (2 children)

It's notable that this happened ONE TIME EVER IN ALL OF HISTORY and suddenly hundreds of millions needs to suffer for security theater.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I don’t think you need to take off your shoes in Europe airports.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Not all the time but you may be asked to. Had it happen a few times over the years.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

I know that Israel is not exactly in moral good graces right now, but I was always impressed by their airport security’s efficiency.

They had a long weaving line where they’d walk sniffing dogs and have spotters to pull people out for in-depth screening. If you weren’t pulled out you just went through a metal detector and bags went in a basic x-ray.

Very quick moving lines and none of theatrical humiliation of removing shoes and belts.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Its primarily done via racial profiling. And given all weve learned recently about their attitudes toward brown people, it makes me question how much of the data theyve released is actually accurate, and not just "This guy was definitely going to blow up a plane, and we know this because hes from Gaza and lives next door to a guy capable of making a bomb".

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

They also do it by religion apparently. There was a video on Youtube of a Canadian Jewish girl who turned Muslim that recounts the difference of how it went at the airport. Apparently they put a sticker on your passport and if the number starts with a 6 you get extra scrutiny.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

One of the key reasons for Israeli airport security efficiency is racial profiling though (see the Ben Gurion airport section of This page for details).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

Lived in Latin America for years. Pretty much the same there. Just be patient and go through line and you’re good.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 8 months ago

There was also Philippines Airlines 434 where components for a bomb were hidden in the culprit's shoes and then assembled on the plane. The plane managed to land safely, but one passenger was killed by the explosion and a number of others were injured.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago (4 children)

I haven't taken my shoes off in like 2 years and 8 flights. This isn't even a thing anymore in most airports.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 8 months ago (1 children)

This depends on state. In Miami, they literally SCREAMED at me when I bent down to take my shoes off, and in Seattle, they were completely and utterly (like personally) offended that I didn't automatically take them off.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I almost always have to take off my shoes, even when others do not. I'm not sure, but I think if your feet are bigger than the yellow footprint marks they have you stand on, it increases the likelihood of them searching your shoes.

Just last year in Seoul I had a security guy chase me down like 5min after getting through security. He had me take off my shoes and then he just wacked them on the ground a bunch like he was playing drums. I gotta admire the commitment though, don't think I'd be investigating via ground slam If I thought a shoe contained explosives.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

That was racism you experienced there. Also was seemingly an idiot.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

That was racism you experienced there.

I don't think so, I was in Korea and I'm of Korean descent...... I'm not fully Korean, so it's possible. But I generally just look like a larger than average Korean person.

Also was seemingly an idiot.

Idiot or just an idiotic dedication to their job, in Korea the two can be hard to delineate a lot of the time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The last time I flew was 5 years ago. Even then one of the airports didn't require me to take off my shoes. Now if only they could get rid of the 3-1-1 rule.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

The 3-1-1 rule is way more annoying. I actually don't mind taking off my shoes, getting ready to travel makes me anxious and that anxiety makes my feet sweat and stink. It's kind of pleasant to get an excuse to air them out... sorry everybody...

[–] [email protected] 13 points 8 months ago (2 children)

It's all dependent on the TSA agents. They're idiots with power to their heads. They make up rules on the spot and you can't do shit about it.

I fly just about every month to different locations and it's completely random what you need to take off and take out of your bag.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

And they will act personally offended if you don't know automatically what they want.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

So true! In spite of this level of control, when tested by the fed I think something like 48 or 49 out of 50 "bombs" (obviously not real bombs) made it through TSA security checks.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I fly like 20 times a year and I think the US airports I frequent still require it? I have precheck and whatever but I occasionally hear TSA saying not to remove shoes when things are backed up.

Which is very funny to me. We all know it’s pointless, and they skip it when the lines are too long. Hopefully you’re right and it’s truly being phased out

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

I mean there are a ton of airports, I believe You've run into it. I just didn't think it really was around all that much. ATL, PWM, DUL haven't had me take them off in forever 🤷‍♂️

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

You take your shoes off? I only got called out because i left my Headphones in my backpack.
Most Airport security is theater anyways.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 8 months ago

That guy was a dumbass. I'd be surprised if it did more than bust up his feet.

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