Travelers no longer required to take off shoes for security at some US airports
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.
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