Latest news with #TransportationSafetyAdministration
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Homeland Security ends mandatory shoe removal at airport screening
Airline passengers across the U.S. will no longer be tied down by their footwear options when they get to the security gate. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that the Transportation Safety Administration's nearly two-decade mandate for passengers to remove their shoes at screening is over. "Many, many people will be on airlines traveling in and out of our airports and it's important we find ways to keep people safe, but also streamline and make the process much more enjoyable for every single person," Noem said. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
TSA to end shoe removal policy at some airport security checkpoints, government source says
It's now OK to keep your shoes on at some airports. 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. Reid pleaded guilty to terrorism charges and is serving a life sentence at a "Supermax" prison in Colorado. 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. This article was originally published on
Axios
5 days ago
- Axios
TSA's shoe removal rule gets the boot at select airports
Passengers at select airports no longer need to take their footwear off while going through Transportation Safety Administration checkpoints, multiple outlets reported. The big picture: This is the first time in over 20 years that general passengers can skip the TSA's footwear removal policy. The changes are being rolled out in phases, with some airports such as the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport confirming to Axios that the new procedure took affect Monday. Travelers at other major airports such as Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and New York City's LaGuardia Airport were able to keep their shoes on while traveling earlier this week, according to CBS News. Zoom out: TSA wait times usually take less than 27 minutes on average, according to a 2024 study, and eliminating the policy could shave some time off the security process. Passengers willing to pay $78 every five years for TSA Pre-Check have been able to keep their shoes on since 2006, and have an average wait time of less than ten minutes. What they're saying: A spokesperson told Axios on Tuesday that "TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to confirm the move in a post on X, writing, "Big news from @DHSgov," in response to a post reporting the rule change. Zoom in: The change, first reported by travel newsletter Gate Access, will not apply to passengers without a REAL ID. Flashback: TSA implemented the shoes-off policy three months after the 9/11 terrorists attacks, when passenger Richard Reid attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his sneakers on an American Airlines flight.
CNBC
5 days ago
- CNBC
TSA to end shoe removal policy at some airport security checkpoints, government source says
It's now OK to keep your shoes on at some airports. 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. Reid pleaded guilty to terrorism charges and is serving a life sentence at a "Supermax" prison in Colorado. 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.
NBC News
5 days ago
- NBC News
TSA to end shoe removal policy at some airport security checkpoints, government source says
It's now OK to keep your shoes on at some airports. 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.
