Hot shoes spark security alert
The new craze for battery powered shoe warmers sparked a security alert at San Francisco International Airport yesterday after puzzled security screeners spotted one of the devices in the man’s hand luggage.
Under new security measures, passengers on international flights must pass through security once they land in the United States before making a connection. The discovery was made as the man stopped over in San Francisco en route to New York from Shanghai, China, on a United Airlines flight.
Though it quickly became apparent that the man was not a terrorist, security officers were nevertheless obliged to instigate a full alert, leading to the closure of the checkpoint and the shoes which contained the device being exploded under controlled conditions.
Incorporating heating elements and rechargeable battery packs to warm feet, shoe warmers are especially popular in Asia.
