Keep your shoes on at XNA
The big picture: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Tuesday the agency will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes, citing technology changes making the practice unnecessary.
Caveat: Passengers could still be required to remove their shoes depending "on travel status," XNA spokesperson Olivia Tyler told Axios. She did not have further details on what would warrant that requirement, citing security.
Flashback: Three months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, passenger Richard Reid attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his sneakers on an American Airlines flight. Five years later, in 2006, TSA officials implemented the shoes-off policy, citing"a continuing threat," Axios' Josephine Walker reported.
The intrigue: Airport wait times average about 27 minutes, according to a 2024 study. Eliminating the policy could shave some time off the security process.
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