
DIA: Shoes can now stay on through security
State of play: The policy change comes two days after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the Transportation Security Administration was lifting the shoe removal requirement nationwide.
What they're saying: The airport predicts the new policy "will create additional efficiencies as it decreases the amount of time it takes for a passenger to move through the screening lane," the airport told Axios Denver in a statement.
"This change, coupled with cutting-edge technologies of the West and East (opening next month) checkpoints, should continue to create overall efficiencies while ... enhancing security," DIA added.
Zoom out: Other Colorado airports are also adopting the policy, including in Colorado Springs.
The big picture: This is the first time in 19 years that general passengers can skip the TSA's footwear removal policy.
The unpopular rule has been in place since 2006, five years after an al-Qaeda operative unsuccessfully attempted to detonate a bomb planted in his shoes on a transatlantic flight.
What we're watching: How much the change shaves time off security lines.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: TSA gives ‘shoes off' policy the boot
Walking in stocking feet across a grimy airport as you make your way through security was the reality for many travelers for years. And if you happened to show up to security in sandals … well, we shudder to think. But last week, the Transportation Security Administration ditched its 'shoes off' rule. Good riddance. An irritant of modern life has been lifted. That doesn't happen very often. Reducing security wait times — and, frankly, improving hygiene — is a good thing, and we're pleased to hear it. Nobody will miss the sights and smells that accompanied this security protocol. Of course, we understand that post-9/11, everything changed when it came to keeping travelers safe. It was implemented after the attempted 2001 shoe bombing, in which Richard Reid, a British citizen and self-proclaimed follower of al-Qaida, attempted to detonate explosives midflight from Paris to Miami. Some countries introduced similar checks, though few maintained them as long as the U.S. Still, the 'shoes off' policy is a legacy of early 2000s security thinking. The threat of a shoe bomb, while real in the early 2000s, is so low risk as to be negligible. Security agencies have adjusted priorities toward other, more sophisticated threats. Plus, programs like TSA PreCheck already allow vetted travelers to keep shoes on — and they've demonstrated that it's possible to maintain strong security standards without this requirement. We hope that an end to stuffing our footwear into bins for the X-ray machine signals more progress to come in bringing the U.S. closer to how other airports around the globe operate. Modern airport scanners (like advanced CT scanners and millimeter wave scanners) can now detect threats without requiring passengers to remove shoes. These machines provide detailed 3D images and can spot anomalies inside shoes, laptops and even liquids. For the TSA, there are many examples of how to improve processes. The Netherlands uses CT scanners for screenings, allowing passengers to leave laptops and liquids in their bags. They also leverage centralized security checkpoints instead of TSA-style gate-by-gate screening, reducing redundancy and congestion. In the U.K., airports like Heathrow and Manchester are deploying 3D imaging CT scanners, too, eliminating the 100-milliliter liquid limit and need for laptop removal. And in Sweden, airports are adopting biometric gates and remote baggage screening. The TSA is starting to adopt many of these more modern approaches. In 2023, the agency announced it was investing $1.3 billion to roll out more CT scanners at airports, adding that this new technology could reduce wait times by as much as 50%, while also improving threat detection. O'Hare is among the larger airports in the U.S. that have been using advanced CT scanners since at least April 2023, according to Condé Nast Traveler. Increasing adoption of this scanning technology more widely is a good next step for U.S. travel security. We share the TSA's goal of safe travel, and understand that the threat from those who would seek to do harm remains high. Let's keep seeking ways to make the flying experience less miserable while preserving and enhancing security. It's doable. Shoes on, dignity intact, we can now step toward a future of air travel with fewer hassles — preferably through a CT scanner.


USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Trump at 'Alligator Alcatraz': Facts on Florida Everglades immigration detention center
President Trump is visiting "Alligator Alcatraz," the immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, on Tuesday, July 1. According to the White House, Trump will participate in a walking tour of the facility around 10 a.m., followed by a roundtable discussion shortly after 11 a.m. The 39-acre site is currently home to the Miami-Dade Collier Training and Transition Airport. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he plans to use emergency powers to take over the land from Miami-Dade County. According to a statement by the Department of Homeland Security, expansion of facilities are already underway, including bringing in about 5,000 beds. Here are the top things to know about Alligator Alcatraz. What is Alligator Alcatraz? Alligator Alcatraz is a nickname for a planned immigration detention facility, Florida's version of the infamous prison in California, that is being built at a remote unused airstrip in the heart of the Florida Everglades. The location is surrounded by alligators and pythons, as a natural barrier. Where is Alligator Alcatraz located? Map shows Florida location Alligator Alcatraz is currently located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transportation Airport, which is about 40 miles from Miami International Airport. The facility was constructed in 1968 and originally known as the Everglades Jetport or Big Cypress Swamp Jetport, according to the National Park Service. The address is 54575 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141 Historical facts: From airport to Alcatraz In the 1960s, the airstrip was once envisioned to be the largest airport in the United States by being five times the size of JFK International Airport. The 'South Florida Jetport' as it would have been called, would have had access to the coast via a new highway and a high-speed monorail, situated within a 1,000-foot-wide corridor that currently spans protected water conservation areas. 'Alligator Alcatraz' merch pushed by GOP With the new opening of this detention center, Florida's GOP has started selling Alligator Alcatraz merch as a way of fundraising for the center, according to a tweet from Florida GOP. The merch includes t-shirts, hats and drink coolers with prices starting from 15-30 dollars. Environmental groups sue to stop building Everglades detention center Two groups, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, have filed a lawsuit against the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to stop what they said is the "unlawful construction of a prison in the heart of the Everglades." Sierra Club Florida also is opposed to the development, which it said is "irresponsible." "This proposal is not only deeply inhumane, it is profoundly irresponsible from an environmental, ethical, and fiscal standpoint," the state chapter of the national organization said in a statement June 24. "The Everglades is a unique and fragile ecosystem — a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to countless endangered species, and a vital source of drinking water for more than nine million Floridians. To pave over a portion of this irreplaceable landscape for a high‑security prison is nothing short of ecological vandalism." Francesca Abarca is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at fabarca@ Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
TSA ends shoe removal rule nationwide effective immediately
You no longer need to take your shoes off at airport security. Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, announced in a news conference July 8 that the long-standing policy requiring most passengers to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints is no longer in effect. 'TSA will no longer require travelers to remove their shoes when they go through our security checkpoint," Noem said. The change had been reported by other news organizations but had not been confirmed by the TSA. Noem said the change takes effect immediately nationwide. TSA officials had said the agency regularly adjusts its screening procedures based on a real-time threat assessment, technologies available at each checkpoint, and other considerations. Noem pointed out that some travelers may still be asked to remove their shoes if they are required to have additional screening. 'Everything the TSA does and requires of travelers has always been necessary, but they have advanced over the years,' Noem said. 'We have made advancements in how we screen individuals.' The shoe removal policy was initially put into place in 2006 in response to an attempt by an airline passenger to conceal a bomb in his shoe in December 2001. Since 2006, most travelers at airport checkpoints in the United States have had to remove their shoes as part of the standard security screening, but there were a number of exceptions. One of the major perks of the TSA's Precheck Trusted Traveler program is keeping your shoes on at checkpoints. Noem said she expects many frequent travelers will still find value in the program because they will continue to benefit from being allowed to leave compliant liquids and electronics in their bags at TSA checkpoints. Some airports with the latest technology have also quietly started allowing travelers to keep their shoes on, even in the standard security screening lane. Still, those decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and were not a blanket policy of the TSA. 'We've gone back and looked at our security processes, looked at the efficacy of everything we do," Noem said, and suggested that overall, the shoe removal policy was no longer an especially effective tool for screening passengers. She also said the agency is confident its existing technology is ready to handle the change at all airports nationwide. 'We've evaluated the equipment that every airport has and are fully confident with the no shoes policy that we still have the security needs in place at every checkpoint," Noem said. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: You'll be able to keep your shoes on at airport security