Travelers no longer required to take off shoes for security at some US airports
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has abandoned the additional security step that has for years bedeviled anyone passing through US airports, according to media reports.
The move puts an end to a security screening mandate put in place almost two decades ago, several years after 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid's failed attempt to take down a flight from Paris to Miami in late 2001.
'We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,' Noem said in a statement.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said that other aspects of TSA's security process would remain unchanged.
'For example, passengers (must) still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting, and other processes,' the department said.
Travelers were able to skirt extra security requirement if they were part of the TSA PreCheck program, which costs about $80 for five years. The program, implemented in 2013, allows airline passengers to get through the screening process without removing shoes, belts or light jackets.
The TSA began in 2001 when George W Bush, the US president at the time, signed legislation for its creation two months after the September 11 terrorist attacks that year. The agency included federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies airlines had used to handle security.
Over the years, the TSA has continued to look for ways to enhance its security measures, including testing facial recognition technology and implementing Real ID requirements.
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- Times
14 of the best all-inclusive cruise lines
Once the preserve of the ultra-luxurious, all-inclusive cruising is now becoming the norm across a much broader spectrum of sailings. While full board and accommodation remain standard, more and more lines are throwing in extras like wi-fi, tips, drinks and curated excursions — sparing you from the creeping costs that used to accumulate day by day at sea. That means fewer shocks when presented with your final bill, particularly for those travelling with families. Of course, not all all-inclusive packages are created equal. Some lines offer fizz on tap and butler-drawn baths strewn with petals (yes, really), while others keep things simpler through immersive expeditions such as pasta-making lessons in Bologna. Whether you're drawn to chandeliers and caviar or vineyard bike rides and Galapagos landings, these are the cruise lines doing all-inclusive best. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea operates a fleet of 13 ships, of which five are smaller expedition ships. Silversea's offering is the last word in luxury afloat, with butler service, fine dining in a choice of restaurants, and everything you could imagine included, from champagne and caviar round the pool to a scented bath run by your butler and strewn with flower petals. Silversea sails all over the world. The expedition ships Silver Explorer, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind and Silver Endeavour visit the poles, while the sleek Silver Origin is based year-round in the Galapagos. The classic fleet (ships that don't offer expeditions) sails the Mediterranean in summer, with long cruises in winter that circle the globe. What's included? Silversea has two price bands. 'Door-to-door' includes a chauffeur-driven car to the airport, business-class flights, transfers, all dining on board (except the fancy French restaurant La Dame, which costs £50pp), an open bar, crew tips, wi-fi and a choice of excursions. 'Port-to-port' pricing includes all this apart from the chauffeur and flight. Price £££ Part of holiday giant Tui, Marella operates four older cruise ships, aimed at a price-conscious British market. Three are family-friendly, while Marella Explorer 2 is for adults only. A fifth ship, Marella Voyager, joined the fleet in 2023. Its ships are friendly and relaxed, but Marella's biggest selling point is the fact that it includes flights from several regional UK airports. Destinations include the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, with new departures in 2023 from the USA. On board, expect a mix of cabin grades and sizes; these are older ships, built before the days when almost every cabin had a balcony. Food and entertainment are geared to British tastes. A plus on Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2 is a huge Champneys spa, the only such collaboration at sea. What's included? Meals in the main dining venues, open bar, crew tips, some classes in the gym, kids' clubs, flights and transfers. Excursions and speciality dining cost extra. Price £ Nobody could accuse river line Uniworld of operating cookie-cutter ships. Each of the line's 'Super Ships' is done out in an extravagant, opulent theme — from ornate baroque on SS Maria Theresa, plying the Danube, to tinkling chandeliers and Fortuny art deco on SS La Venezia, which sails the Venice lagoon. On board, everything is included, with creative shore excursions offering activities such as pasta-making in Bologna, or cycling in vineyard trails around Bordeaux. The line has 17 ships, including vessels on the Mekong, the Ganges and the Nile, as well as a ship on the Amazon operated in an arrangement with Aqua Expeditions. What's included? All meals, open bar, crew tips, wi-fi, excursions and activities, use of bicycles (most ships) and airport transfers. Flights are also included in some fares. Price £££ Celebrity Cruises operates a fleet of 12 big ships, the newest of which are decidedly swish, with interiors by Kelly Hoppen, cool pools featuring private cabanas and a roof garden bar and grill, among many other speciality restaurants. Three smaller ships are based year-round in the Galapagos. Its 16th ship, Celebrity Ascent, launches in autumn 2023. Celebrity recently introduced the option of 'All Included' fares, which means you don't pay any extra for drinks, crew tips or wi-fi. Some charges remain — for example, speciality dining and excursions — but these new fares are a good deal if you enjoy a couple of cocktails in the evening and wine with meals. What's included? Meals in the main dining rooms, drinks up to a certain value (including soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktails), crew tips, wi-fi, some classes in the gym, kids' clubs. Price ££ Azamara, which owns four stylish, mid-sized ships, provides destination-intensive cruises that spend longer in port than those of any other line. The ships are older, built around 1999, but have had multiple refits and passengers love their cosy, compact size. Food on board is excellent, with drinks included, although unless you're staying in a suite, there's a cover charge of £25 for the two speciality restaurants Prime C and Aqualina. There are also a couple of weekly treats. Every cruise includes a spectacular 'AzAmazing' event, which might involve ferrying all 690 passengers to a lavish cultural event ashore, or taking over a port or a venue for a festival of local food, drink and culture. The line is also known for its dazzling White Nights deck parties, which include a magnificent barbecue, flowing drinks and dancing under the stars. What's included? Dining, open bar, wi-fi, crew tips, AzAmazing events, some classes in the gym. Some fares include flights and transfers, too. Price ££ Regent's ships are very grand and reminiscent of opulent hotels, with lavish decor, sweeping staircases and elegant lounges. Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Explorer also feature some of the most expensive suites at sea, the poshest of which even includes its own spa. The line has a loyal following, mainly mature Americans, and sails all over the world, from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, Australia, Alaska and Asia. What's included? Everything on board — dining, including the various speciality dining restaurants, open bar, crew trips, wi-fi and valet laundry — and a choice of complimentary shore excursions plus, on some voyages, bolt-on land programmes. Fares include flights and often a pre-cruise hotel stay too. Price £££ Video: Times Travel boards a ship to bust the cruise myths SeaDream's two small yachts, taking just 112 passengers each, sail the Caribbean in winter and the Mediterranean in summer. Because they're so small, SeaDream I and SeaDream II can easily fit into fashionable small ports and anchorages like St Barts, Bequia or Hvar. Both vessels have had a significant upgrade so while you won't have a balcony cabin — these being older ships — the decor is infinitely Instagrammable. On board, the vibe is very much that of a house party on a private yacht. Life is informal — there's no dress code beyond superyacht chic, and you can even sleep on one of the squashy Balinese beds on deck if you want. Water sports equipment is carried on board and there's a marina platform at the back of the ship for swimming. No detail is spared in the excellent food. What's included? All meals, drinks, wi-fi, water sports, use of bicycles, most gym classes and crew tips. Travel and excursions are extra. Price £££ Australian-owned Scenic operates a fleet of state-of-the-art river ships in Europe and Asia, and has two ocean-going ships, the superyachts Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II, which launched in 2023. Both have ice-class hulls, which means they can sail in Antarctica and northern polar regions, but they offer warm-weather cruising, too. And while they're small, carrying just 228 each, you'll find a surprisingly impressive range of speciality restaurants on board, from Asian to French, as well as 24-hour room service. Scenic's ethos is to be the most inclusive cruise line out there, so you can put the wallet away the minute you board — unless you want a ride in the helicopter and submarine on the expedition ships, that is. Expect a multinational audience that includes a lot of Australians, and a laid-back vibe on board. What's included? Cruise fares include all meals, drinks, gratuities, wi-fi, flights, a choice of excursions, and use of water toys and e-bikes. Price £££ Seabourn's seven ships are small, sleek and chic, with a vibe that's more private yacht than luxury cruise line. Expedition vessels Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit both come complete with two submarines. Seabourn's ships sail all over the world, from summer in the Mediterranean and Baltic to winter in the Caribbean, South America and Asia. Its expedition ships, built for polar cruising, explores Antarctica and, in summer, northern polar regions; it also offers warm-weather expeditions to destinations including the Amazon. There's a lot to love on board, from grill classics by renowned chef Thomas Keller to a wellness programme in collaboration with health guru Andrew Weil. The food and service are exceptional and the cabins, almost all with balcony, are spacious, with abundant Molton Brown goodies in the bathrooms. What's included? All meals, open bar, wi-fi, most classes in the gym, and crew tips. Most prices include flights and transfers. Excursions are extra, apart from on the expedition ships. Price £££ Ponant provides an all-inclusive cruise experience with more than a dash of French panache, thanks to partnerships with Veuve Clicquot and Charles Heidsieck champagne, chef Alain Ducasse, Diptyque and Brittany-based cheesemaker Jean-Yves Bordier. The line operates 13 ships, which vary from smart expedition vessels to the six Ponant Explorers, built for tropical cruising and each featuring a multi-sensory underwater lounge. There's also a hybrid-powered icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, which explores deep into Antarctica and offers regular expeditions to the North Pole in summer. The passenger mix is international, with a high proportion of French guests. What's included? All dining, open bar, wi-fi, classes in the gym, kids' clubs on some ships. Flights are included on some cruises, often from Paris, while most activities are covered on polar expeditions. Other excursions cost extra, as do crew tips. Price ££-£££ As well as its popular river fleet, Viking operates a fleet of ten elegant ocean-going ships, and two smart expedition ships, both built for polar expeditions. The ships sail all over the world, from Europe and the Caribbean to Asia and Australia, with cruises varying from the standard seven days to grand world voyages of more than 120 days. What's lovely about Viking's ships is the thoughtful decor, all soothing, Scandi-inspired chic and light-filled lounges, plus touches such as an infinity pool, a cool little nightclub, a lavish suite of saunas, steam and an ice grotto in the spa that's free to use. Every cabin has a balcony, too. What's included? All dining, drinks with meals, crew tips, wi-fi, excursions, flights, transfers, access to the spa thermal suite, some classes in the gym. Some excursions cost extra. Price: ££-£££ Emerald is best known for its smart, contemporary riverboats but has recently launched its first ocean-going ship, Emerald Azzurra, with a second ship, Emerald Sakara, launched in February 2023. Destinations include the Adriatic, Aegean, Middle East, Caribbean and Central America. If you like the idea of a very small ship, carrying just 100, with the feel of a private yacht in its elegant lines, infinity pool, Missoni Home amenities and top-deck cocktail bar, this could be the one. There are no butlers or speciality dining, but pretty well everything is included — and you can't put a price on occupying the best moorings in town alongside other superyachts, rather than in the wilderness of a cruise port, along with the 5,000-passenger ships. What's included? All dining, drinks with meals, crew tips, basic wi-fi, some excursions, flights, transfers, use of water toys and e-bikes. Price ££ Unapologetically geared towards the over-50s market, Saga is the cruise line to choose if you want to enjoy a relaxed experience in a blissfully child-free environment. It has a small fleet of four relatively new ships — the oldest debuted in 2017 while the newest first sailed in 2022 — plus boutique vessels that it charters for selected European sailings. Unique to Saga are the thoughtful extras, like travel insurance, unlimited luggage and door-to-door transfers and porterage. On its ocean-faring vessels, Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery, guests also enjoy a private balcony, and access to spa facilities including hydrotherapy pool, infrared sauna and steam room as standard. It sails to well-trodden destinations, from the US and the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea, with departures from the UK. What's included? All meals (including speciality restaurants) and drinks on board, 24-hour room service, wi-fi, excursions at selected ports, door-to-door transfers and travel insurance. Price ££ The new kid on the sailing block is Explora Journeys, MSC Group's foray into the luxury market. Its first ship, Explora I, made its maiden voyage in August 2023 and Explora II, III and IV are on the way. The experience is inspired by the ocean and, to that end, the public spaces inside and outside are designed to maximise the sea view, with floor-to-ceiling windows. Multigenerational travel is also encouraged by way of 78 connected suites. Elsewhere, there are six restaurants with one featuring a guest chef, and a sumptuous spa with a hydrotherapy pool, Finnish sauna and salt cave. What's included? Food and drinks (with upgrades available), wi-fi, gratuities, wellbeing programme onboard and in destination, and transfers from port to the city. Price ££ • Best Mediterranean cruises• The world's biggest cruise ships• Best cruise lines for solo travellers Additional reporting by Qin Xie and Imogen Lepere
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
United Airlines flyer details rookie mistake that cost them almost $100 instantly
The absence of a simple 'back' button on United Airlines' website cost a Canadian traveler nearly $100 while booking flights for her family. The traveler, who shared her story in a Reddit post, was booking tickets that were due to cost #295 when she realized she needed to modify the seat selection. But without a back button, she had to cancel the cart and start over. The same tickets had jumped $30 within minutes after entering all her flight details again. Still hoping for a fix, she tried searching on another computer — only to see the fare rise again, this time to $362. 'On United's website, there is no 'back' button,' she wrote. 'So I basically had to cancel the cart item and redo all the steps.' She concluded the spike, on July 31, was likely due to demand — a suspicion echoed by fellow Reddit users, many of whom shared similar experiences. 'If it makes you feel any better, I made a $500 mistake similar to that,' one traveler replied. Others chimed in with advice and critiques. 'The system might not have released the inventory you held, back into the pool right away. Why didn't you just change the seats after booking,' a commenter wrote. 'It's a demand issue,' another added. 'If there are multiple searches for the same flight, the prices start increasing.'. One traveler said they nearly made a $1,600 mistake by misunderstanding a change fee. 'I thought it was $320 total to move our family's return flight up by four hours,' they wrote. 'Turns out it was $320 per ticket. Thankfully, I called and got everything refunded.' Others noted that United will often refund the fare difference in credit if the price drops after booking. United has faced growing criticism in 2025 for several unpopular changes that have led some travelers to jump ship. The company faced backlash after quietly reinstating a pricing policy that charges solo passengers more than those traveling in pairs or groups. Reddit user chimedon how a quirk on United's website cost a Canadian traveler nearly $100 while booking flights for her family. Data indicated the airline is applying at least an eight percent price hike for solo travelers on weekdays. It also ignited fury by narrowing its check-in cutoff window. Since June, instead of the 30-minute cutoff, all United flyers must check in for domestic flights at least 45 minutes before takeoff. Meanwhile, United continues pushing luxury on international routes. Its new Polaris Studio suites, launching this year on flights from San Francisco to London and Singapore. The suites will include perks such as Cuvée Rosé and designer hoodie pajamas, and will include Wi-Fi from Starlink, a service developed by the Elon Musk 's SpaceX.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
ALEXANDRA SHULMAN'S NOTEBOOK: Why we can never leave too early for our holidays...
We all have different attitudes to what counts as an acceptable amount of time to leave when you're setting off for the airport, railway station, car park or port. It's one of those hazards of coupledom – on a par with having different internal thermostats and being unable to agree on the volume for the television. But if, like me, you travel with somebody who always needs to leave ridiculously early, you will learn that however early you set off, it is never early enough. Because crise de gare, as my boyfriend calls his condition, is not really about how many hours in advance you leave, but some weird mental wiring that causes him to fret about being late even if we're sitting in an almost empty Gatwick Airport. It's an unshakable conviction that something will happen at some stage to foil our plans. The length of the security queue, the chaotic line to nab a sandwich at Pret, the slow movement of passport control and the check-in desk. Every other passenger is seen as a potential hazard to him making the flight. It's not as if I'm super-casual myself – I leave for long journeys well before the hour most would choose. I know others who can't bear to board a plane unless it's the last call over the tannoy; they feel getting there any earlier is an imposition on their precious time. But compared to David, my most frequent travelling companion, my attitude to time is cavalier in the extreme. There is a point on every journey when I vow we will never travel together again. We will make our own way to the point of departure and greet each other calmly in our seats, having avoided the tense recriminations. But then, just like childbirth, we forget the pain and travel in tandem, hoping it will be different. Which it never is. Zara's ad – and a fuss about nothing Throughout the London Underground there are ads for the Advertising Standards Authority urging passengers to report anything untrue or offensive in an advertisement. Last week, we learned that Zara had been reported to the ASA for two fashion images on its website that supposedly showed an unhealthily skinny model. Despite there being only one registered objection, the pictures were banned by the ASA and removed by Zara. I imagine most people, like me, came across these allegedly offensive images only when reading the story about the ban. The model looked fine to me, dressed in a white shirt, trousers and a mini-dress. But Zara's loss is the ASA advertising department's gain – all the fuss is presumably drumming up more business for the regulator. Christmas comes early for Aimee Lou Clever old M&S has signed Aimee Lou Wood to be the face of its Christmas campaign. She was wildly appealing as Chelsea, the lovable hippy-dippy chick in the last season of White Lotus, which provided the springboard to the widespread recognition that M&S clearly thinks she has. It's also interesting that Aimee Lou is now so bankable, given that the streaming series – although popular – will have been watched only by the relatively small proportion of the population who have access to Sky Atlantic. Though perhaps it was less her turn as Chelsea and more the rumours about a fallout with her co-star Walton Goggins that brought Aimee worldwide fame. Were Oasis staff in the wrong areas? Oasis's fantastic London concerts were tarnished by the death of a member of the audience who fell from one of the top tiers of Wembley. I was there the night before the news broke. Looking back, perhaps it could have been avoided if security was tighter around those high levels. There is no shortage of staff encouraging concert-goers to spend big at the bars and food stalls. So keen is Wembley to ensure that nobody brings in their own food and drink that my companion and I were interrogated about a glucose bar he keeps in his pocket to combat low blood sugar. At first, the security guard refused to let him in without seeing a letter from his doctor (try finding a letter on a smartphone with the 4G available in a stadium of 90,000 people and a long queue behind you). Fortunately, his superior took pity on us and let us through, along with the forbidden food. But what a waste of manpower that could have been diverted towards safety during the gig. How the roof caved in on convertibles During my 20s I had a boyfriend who owned an open-top Morgan car. It was his pride and joy and although I would have preferred a less Mr Toad-like, more modern convertible – a Mercedes, say – it was the height of glamour to be driving along with the roof down. But now convertibles are becoming extinct, with 70 per cent of carmakers no longer including them in their range. And even more bafflingly, they've been replaced by hideous, space-guzzling SUVs. Everything that made driving desirable is being eroded. Cars are no longer elegant havens of independence, but nagging nannies with impenetrable control panels and screens filled with unnecessary information. Come back, Mr Toad, all is forgiven. The negative side of electric car owners On the subject of cars, a new etiquette dilemma has been thrown up by the growing number of electric vehicles. Do you let visitors charge their cars on your driveway using the electricity from your home? As the driver, do you offer to cover the cost? A Tesla owner told me of staying with a wealthy friend when their car was low on charge. They were directed to the nearest village to find a charging point, rather than being allowed to use the power supply at the huge house. Mean behaviour – and possibly why the Scrooge in question had become so rich.
