TSA ends shoe removal rule nationwide effective immediately
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conference July 8 that the long-standing policy requiring most passengers to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints is no longer in effect.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@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: You'll be able to keep your shoes on at airport security
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