Airport Shoe removal policy - London and Montreal

Under 75 and have never taken my shoes off at Heathrow.

It sometimes depends what type of footwear you are wearing - you are more likely to be asked to remove shoes that have a heel where explosives could be packed, but not if you are wearing say flip flops.

Sometimes at London Gatwick, they ask everybody to remove their shoes and at other times, just the occasional person is asked.

thanks for your replies. I guess there is no age rule for shoes in the U.K. like there is in the U.S. I'll prepare myself to take my shoes off and bring a pair of socks with me when going through security.

Under 75 and I have always had to take my shoes off at Heathrow.

And I have not flown through Montreal but in Calgary and in Toronto I have had to take off my shoes.

I concur with what Jennifer. Being asked to take your shoes of at a European airport only happens sometimes, not always. And age does not appear to make any difference.

thanks everyone !

Although under 75, at airports in Canada, husband and I are usually asked to remove our shoes. So for convenience, we wear slip-on-type shoes when we fly. (We sure like that TSA in the US allows us to keep our shoes on!) We did have to remove our shoes at Heathrow.

For your reference, below is a link to CATSA - Canadian Airport Transport Security Authority:

https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/breezethrough

Perhaps one of the benefits of a NEXUS card is not having to remove my shoes, but even in non NEXUS lineups, I am only asked to remove shoes (intermittently) in the US....even with per-clearance.

I always wear a lace up walking shoe or flat sandal. No metal, no heel, no problem.

I'm 43 and have never taken my shoes off at any UK airport. I've only ever been required to take my shoes off in the US and that wasn't on every occasion.

We flew out of YUL 3 weeks ago and did not have to remove our shoes.

really good to know about YUL and not shoe removal - thanks!

As a Canadian traveler, I would suggest that you still might want to be prepared to remove your shoes at YUL security, especially if you are returning to the USA via YUL. Should the screening officers say you may leave your shoes on, then it's a bonus. The "rules" seem to be somewhat flexible and changes can take effect immediately.

https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/trusted-travellers

I fly out of Heathrow a few times a year and have never had to remove my shoes. I can't remember anywhere in Europe where I had to.

Anecdotes are interesting and sometimes helpful. But the main thing to keep in mind about those screening procedures, is that bit about them being subject to change without notice. Shoes off, shoes on, all electronics pulled out for inspection when last week it was only the laptop? A bit of unpredictability in the process is just part of - security.

I mean - anything may happen, but I've never taken my shoes off at Heathrow or Gatwick airports since we started flying in '08. Maybe if the detector is set off, but my shoes don't have metal shanks so no flags are raised. We flew thru Montreal in '15 and didn't have to remove them.

The only time I've taken them off was the first time we flew out of Halifax - and their reply at security was - take em off if you want to...and when we flew out of San Diego, where it wasn't an option.

Flying a lot with in Britain and Europe, regularly have to take shoes off, but mainly if boots, thick soles or heels. Yesterday in Manchester every one with thick soled sandals had to take them off, mine weren't, but I took them off any way, saves the hassle.
But its not a problem, not something to stress about, if they ask, just take them off!

In my experience this is still primarily a US thing. The only time I've been asked to remove shoes in Europe, including Heathrow several timer per year, is if I am wearing chunky heels or boots. Other than that I've never been asked to remove any footwear.