Shoes off for airport security, says EU

MADRID
FOLLOWING the introduction of new airport security legislation in August this year, the European Union has made public the list of items which are prohibited to travellers passing through security checks in member state airports, including an order to remove shoes if asked to do so by staff.

Spain's Minister for Public Works said yesterday that as well as security staff having the right to remove any prohibited item from an airline passenger, they are also empowered to confiscate any article deemed to be suspicious.

The Ministry reminded passengers that in order to go through security checks in European Union country airports, travellers must pass through a “detection arch” and their hand luggage needs to be checked by X-ray scanners. If something the passenger has on his or her person triggers the arch alarm, instructions from security staff must be followed precisely.