NAIA relaxes rules on shoe inspections

MANILA, Philippines – The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) announced Tuesday, October 23, that it will be relaxing its rules on shoe inspections starting November 1.

“Beginning November 1, 2012, shoe inspections at the final security checkpoints in the departure areas of all NAIA terminals shall no longer be mandatory under NORMAL ALERT conditions,” Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Jose Angel Honrado said in a press release.

This, Honrado said, means that security screeners shall ask passengers to remove their shoes only if the walk-thru metal detector alarm sounds off, or if the passenger is randomly selected for shoe screening. The random screening will be done every 10-20 passengers, the official said.

The said relaxing of rules has been set by the NAIA Airport Security Committee, with the concurrence of the Office for Transportation Security of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

However, all passengers bound for the United States shall still implement shoe inspections at the boarding areas, as it is a requirement by the US Department of Homeland Security.

On High Alert Level situations, the shoe inspection is again mandatory, Honrado added. This is usually during high-security situations, such as possible terrorist attacks.

Airport security in the Philippines and in airports around the world have increased during the past decade, mainly due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. – Rappler.com