The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a significant policy change Tuesday, allowing passengers to keep their shoes on during standard security screenings at U.S. airports.
The move, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), marks a notable shift from a requirement that has been in place since 2006 as part of a broader set of security enhancements introduced after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which led to the establishment of the TSA. Since then, most passengers have been expected to slip off their shoes, often resulting in long lines and delays at security checkpoints.
Secretary Noem stated that improved technology has allowed TSA to remove the requirement and make the screening process smoother and quicker for travelers.
“We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,” stated Secretary Noem about sunsetting what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) referred to as the “shoes off” policy.
“It will be a much more streamlined process going forward,” she said during the press conference.
In May, TSA began enforcing the Real ID requirement at U.S. airports, and that requirement remains in place (the agency noted that it has experienced a 94 percent compliance rate since the rule went into effect on May 7).
In a press release about the removal of the shoe requirement, DHS noted that “other aspects of TSA’s layered security approach will still apply during the TSA checkpoint process.” For instance, there is still a liquid limit for carry-on luggage, and non–TSA PreCheck members are often required to remove electronic devices from their bags when passing their belongings through the scanners.
The shoe removal rule was implemented when the U.S. government recognized the need to make sweeping changes to national security, particularly in aviation, following the devastating September 11 terror attacks. In response to those attacks, TSA was created in November 2001 to oversee and strengthen airport security measures, a task that had previously been managed by individual airlines and airports. The agency was tasked with implementing protocols to safeguard the nation’s transportation infrastructure against terrorism.
In 2006, TSA instituted the shoe removal policy following an attempt by British citizen Richard Reid to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes aboard a transatlantic American Airlines flight. Although Reid’s plot failed, the TSA determined that shoes were a potential security threat, and the shoe-removal requirement became a standard part of the screening process. Similarly, another foiled terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives aboard a transatlantic flight in August 2006 was the impetus for TSA’s policy limiting any liquid substance in carry-on bags to 3.4 ounces or less.
To expedite the screening process for certain travelers, the TSA introduced TSA PreCheck, a Trusted Traveler Program that allows prescreened fliers to bypass the shoe-removal requirement, provided they passed a background check and pay $78 for the privilege—the PreCheck membership, valid for five years, also allows them to keep electronics in their bags. Those aged 75 or older or 12 and under were also exempt; however, for the vast majority of passengers, the inconvenience persisted.
While passengers whose shoes trigger alarms will still be subject to additional screening (such as shoes that have thick metal buckles), the broader policy change is sure to come as a welcome relief for many frequent fliers.
