An airport can be one of the quietest places in the world to spend Christmas Eve; that is as long as there isn’t a deviant bartender somewhere in the place feeding last-minute travelers a high-octane concoction of holiday despair and Makers Mark. At that point, everything from hurt feelings to an international incident is possible - and highly likely.
Ever since infamous “shoe bomber” Richard Reid tried — and failed — to blow up a plane by igniting explosives in his shoes during a 2001 flight, travelers have been forced to remove footwear for screening when going through airport security.
But according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, that time-worn tradition may soon fall to the wayside.