Manila International Airport makes shoe removal mandatory for all departing passengers

All travelers leaving Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for international locations are once again required to remove their shoes for security examination.

According to Kim Marquez, a representative for the Office of Transportation Security (OTS), the requirement to remove shoes was reinstated on July 10 as “part of the enhanced security arrangement at all NAIA terminals”. The Department of Transportation’s OTS is the agency in charge of overseeing the safety of the Philippines’ transportation infrastructure.

According to Marquez, the shoe removal regulation was discontinued on December 1 of last year to make place for departing travelers and their bags. Additionally, she stated that “there have been consultations with airline representatives and various stakeholders in connection with it.”

As a result of an alleged attempt by a terrorist to explode a homemade bomb concealed in his shoes when he was on board an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, the policy of removing shoes in select international airports dates back to December 2001.

Meanwhile, in 2018, a Filipino senator drew harsh criticism for openly berating an airport security guard while stubbornly refusing to take off his shoes during a required check at NAIA Terminal 2.

Airport officials claim that when the employees requested the congressman to take off his shoes, they were merely following security routine.