TSA to end shoe removal policy at some airport security checkpoints, government source says
The Transportation Safety Administration will allow passengers at selected airports to keep their footwear on as they go through security checkpoints, a senior government official tells NBC News.
People in screening lanes will have to keep their shoes on at selected airports, but the source said the relaxation of the rules could expand nationwide in the near future.
The TSA has yet to announce the move formally, but stated in a Monday press release that it is "exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture."
Shoe removal has been part of the airport experience since 2006, when the TSA instituted the requirement, citing intelligence indicating a "continuing threat" of explosives.
The rule came after Richard Reid tried — and failed — to ignite his homemade shoe explosives on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami on Dec. 22, 2001.
Reid's plan was disrupted when he struggled to light a fuse attached to his shoes, which contained roughly 10 ounces of explosive material, according to the FBI.
He was subdued by passengers and crew members and taken into custody when the flight diverted to Logan International Airport in Boston.
After the bombing attempt, the shoe removal rule was implemented, then relaxed, then resurrected.
The requirement has apparently remained annoying enough that the TSA released an advertisement in October for its fee-based PreCheck service, which featured four people endorsing their membership for a single reason: they didn't have to take their shoes off at the airport.
"It's my favorite thing," one of them said.
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
TSA ends shoes-off policy for US airport security screening
ARLINGTON, Virginia, July 8 (Reuters) - The Transportation Security Administration will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes during security checks at U.S. airports, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Tuesday, ending an unpopular policy. TSA had been requiring most U.S. air travelers to remove their shoes during screening for nearly two decades. The new policy began nationwide implementation on Tuesday. "We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience," Noem said in a statement. TSA began making passengers remove their shoes to screen for explosives in August 2006. The policy was implemented nearly five years after the 9/11 attacks and when Richard Reid, who is known as the "shoe bomber," used matches in an attempt to ignite explosive devices hidden in his shoes on a flight from Paris to Miami. More than 1 billion passengers flew through U.S. airports in fiscal 2023 on over 10 million flights, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. "We are very confident that we can continue to provide hospitality to folks and for American travelers and for those visiting our country, while maintaining the same standard of security for passengers and for our homeland," Noem said at a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Noem highlighted advancements in security technology and processes as reasons for the removal of the policy but noted that some individuals may be asked to remove their shoes "if we think there's additional layers of screening that is necessary." In 2013, TSA launched the PreCheck Trusted Traveler program, whose members are not required to remove their shoes. Children under 12 and adults 75 years or older are exempt from removing their shoes. Noem did not think the new policy would degrade the PreCheck program. "I believe PreCheck will still be something that many travelers will want to utilize, because when they have TSA PreCheck, they won't have to take off their belt or their coat or remove things out of their bag such as laptops or compliant liquids," Noem said. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said other aspects of TSA's security process would remain unchanged for most other travelers. "For example, passengers (must) still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting, and other processes," the department said.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Travelers no longer required to take off shoes for security at some US airports
For the first time in almost 20 years, travelers are no longer be required to take off their shoes during security screenings at certain US airports, Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security secretary, announced on Tuesday. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has abandoned the additional security step that has for years bedeviled anyone passing through US airports, according to media reports. The move puts an end to a security screening mandate put in place almost two decades ago, several years after 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid's failed attempt to take down a flight from Paris to Miami in late 2001. 'We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,' Noem said in a statement. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said that other aspects of TSA's security process would remain unchanged. 'For example, passengers (must) still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting, and other processes,' the department said. Travelers were able to skirt extra security requirement if they were part of the TSA PreCheck program, which costs about $80 for five years. The program, implemented in 2013, allows airline passengers to get through the screening process without removing shoes, belts or light jackets. The TSA began in 2001 when George W Bush, the US president at the time, signed legislation for its creation two months after the September 11 terrorist attacks that year. The agency included federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies airlines had used to handle security. Over the years, the TSA has continued to look for ways to enhance its security measures, including testing facial recognition technology and implementing Real ID requirements.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
US airport security finally removes one unpopular rule
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that passengers will no longer be required to remove their shoes during airport security checks. This policy change officially comes into effect on 13 July, though some US airports have already begun implementing it. The highly unpopular 'shoe rule' was originally introduced following British man Richard Reid's attempt to detonate a homemade bomb hidden in his shoes on a flight in December 2001. Previously, only passengers who paid for TSA PreCheck benefits were exempt from removing their footwear. While the aim is to roll out the change across all US airports, passengers who trigger security scanners will still need to remove their shoes for further screening.
