The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is quietly ending its long-standing policy of requiring travelers to remove their shoes during airport security screenings. This change, first reported by a travel newsletter, appears to be rolling out across the country, though the TSA hasn't officially confirmed the policy shift.
The TSA spokesperson cited ongoing exploration of innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience while maintaining security. A former TSA officer suggests this shift is due to advancements in technology allowing threat detection even with shoes on. He also notes that this could devalue the TSA PreCheck program, which includes keeping shoes on as a perk.
The shoe removal requirement was instituted in 2006 following an attempted terrorist attack involving shoe-based explosives. The new policy is considered long overdue by many travelers who view it as a cumbersome and outdated measure.
The TSA’s official announcement is pending, however sources close to the matter, including a former TSA officer, corroborate this significant policy change.
Travelers at some airports, including LaGuardia, may no longer need to undergo one of the most loathed requirements of security screening. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Transportation Security Administration is letting people keep their shoes on.
In recent days, the T.S.A. began dropping its requirement for travelers to remove shoes, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The agency has not officially announced this change and did not confirm the new policy, which appears to be taking effect at airports across the country.
“T.S.A. and D.H.S. are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture,” a T.S.A. spokesman said. “Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels.”
The change was first reported by Gate Access, a travel newsletter written by Caleb Harmon-Marshall, who says he is a former T.S.A. officer. He added that he had seen a soft launch of the new policy at an airport as well as an internal memo briefing officers about it.
The new policy is good for passengers and is long overdue, Mr. Harmon-Marshall said in an emailed statement. He added that officers would now be able to screen travelers more swiftly.
“They should feel relieved knowing that technology has advanced so significantly that T.S.A. officers can detect threats while wearing shoes,” he added. “In the old days, this wasn’t the case.”
The T.S.A. has been requiring passengers to remove their shoes since 2006, nearly five years after a terrorist tried to detonate an explosive in his shoe while aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.
Travelers pay for the privilege of keeping their shoes on, one of the hallmarks of the T.S.A.’s PreCheck program, which costs roughly $80 for five years and grants expedited screening. Mr. Harmon-Marshall said in his statement that he believed a “huge shift” was underway with the PreCheck program.
The T.S.A. knows that allowing standard travelers access to perks like keeping on their shoes “will significantly diminish the value of PreCheck,” he added.
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