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The Star
16-07-2025
- The Star
You no longer have to take off your shoes for screening at US airports
Travellers leaving the US no longer have to take their shoes off during security screening. — AP/Filepic Travellers leaving the United States no longer have to worry about removing their shoes to go through standard airport security checkpoints, a change that will likely speed up screening for airline passengers. The US Transportation Security Administration or TSA recently updated its policies to make the change, said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference. This move extends a benefit that's already available to individuals who pay for TSA PreCheck to most ordinary travellers. TSA's reversal ends a policy that has been for nearly two decades one of the most visible – and criticised – features of the post-9/11 heightened US airport security system. Critics, who've long dismissed the shoe rule as more security theatre than actual security, have also faulted the policy for increasing wait times at security checkpoints at American airports. The change also puts the US in line with most other global aviation hubs including the European Union, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore, which typically don't require travellers to take off their shoes when going through airport security. The US requirement to remove footwear was made mandatory in August 2006 – following a failed attempt in 2001 by 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid to ignite explosives packed in one of his sneakers on an American Airlines flight. On July 8, Noem at the press conference said that the new policy was effective immediately, nationwide. According to a report by The Associated Press, Noem said that a pilot program showed the TSA had the equipment needed to keep airports and aircraft safe while allowing people to keep their shoes on. – Bloomberg
Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US scraps shoe removal at airport screening
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The US Transportation Security Administration will no longer require travellers to remove their shoes at US airports to pass through security. WASHINGTON - Passengers at US airports will no longer have to remove their shoes to pass through security under a new policy unveiled on July 8 , 20 years after the requirement was introduced. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the change to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules at a news conference at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. Passengers at US airports have been required to take off shoes during screenings since 2006, five years after the arrest of 'Shoe Bomber' Richard Reid, who had explosives hidden in his footwear onboard. 'In those 20 years since that policy was put in place, our security technology has changed dramatically. It's evolved. TSA has changed. We have a multi-layered whole of government approach now to security,' Ms Noem said. 'We are very confident that we can continue to provide hospitality to folks and for American travelers and for those visiting our country, while maintaining the same standard of security for passengers and for our homeland,' she added. Reid, a member of Al-Qaeda, was overpowered by other passengers as he tried to light a fuse on his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001. Reid pleaded guilty to terrorism and other charges and is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado. TSA said in a statement on the shoe policy change that other security measures will remain in place. 'Other aspects of TSA's layered security approach will still apply during the TSA checkpoint process. For example, passengers subject must still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting, and other processes,' it said. Past attacks – both successful and thwarted – have led to a raft of new airport security measures in recent decades, especially following the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, in which hijackers flew passenger jets into the Twin Towers in New York as well as the Pentagon. In 2006, British authorities announced they had foiled a terror plot that aimed to blow up several planes in mid-air simultaneously with liquid explosives. Since then, tough restrictions have applied to liquids and gels, such as toothpaste. And electronics have also come in for additional screening in a bid to head off attacks, with passengers required to remove laptops from bags, for instance. AFP
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Shoe bombers no longer a threat at US airports? TSA's shoe rule to end after nearly 20 years
The TSA is reportedly phasing out its long-standing shoe removal policy at airport checkpoints, a change driven by advancements in scanning technology and a reassessment of security threats. While not officially confirmed, the new policy is being quietly rolled out, requiring passengers to meet certain conditions like carrying a Real ID. The TSA is reportedly ending its long-standing shoe removal rule at airport checkpoints, as indicated by an internal memo. While not officially announced, sources say the new policy is being quietly implemented at airports across the US. (File Image) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Why the change now? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads TSA's official response About the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) After nearly two decades of making passengers slip off their footwear at airport checkpoints , the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reportedly ditching the dreaded shoe rule. According to an internal memo reported by multiple travel industry sources, passengers will no longer be required to remove their shoes at the agency hasn't formally announced it, insiders say the new policy is already being quietly rolled out at airports approved for TSA Pre-Check have enjoyed not removing their shoes at security, but now everyone can experience this luxury, marking a change since the "Shoe Bomber" incident in internal memo, as reported by trusted travel blogs like One Mile at a Time and View From The Wing, suggests the decision stems from two main reasons: advancements in scanning technology and a reassessment of current security threats While not officially confirmed by TSA, reports say passengers will need to meet certain conditions to skip shoe removal, must carry a Real ID-compliant identification , and must not be flagged for additional or special screeningChildren under 12 and seniors over 75 were already exempt under previous response to a request for confirmation, a TSA spokesperson told CBS News that they acknowledged that both the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are 'exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture,' but they didn't confirm Transportation Security Administration (TSA), established in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, is an agency under the US Department of Homeland Security. Its primary mission is to ensure the nation's transportation systems' security, focusing on air oversees airport passenger and baggage screening, sets security standards, and uses advanced technologies to detect potential also manages trusted traveler programs like TSA PreCheck to balance effective security with efficient passenger experiences.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
People calling 'SSSS' code on boarding pass a 'kiss of death' after learning what it means
Plane passengers are calling the 'SSSS' code on boarding passes a 'kiss of death' after finding out what it means. Just getting to the airport is stressful enough, arriving four hours early 'in case' you miss your flight, and then nearly missing it. Or how about heading through security, never knowing how to stand on the body scanner, while simultaneously feeling like you accidentally smuggled something illegal, such as water. Along with paying £7 for a meal deal, the struggles before you even get onto the flight are very real. But to top it off, if you're a passenger with a SSSS code on your boarding pass, then you might be in for a rough ride. Over on social media, people have only just realised what the code means, and the many different ways it can affect your journey. So, SSSS stands for 'Secondary Security Screening Selection' and it happens to be a security protocol implemented by the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The TSA apparently put this code on the boarding passes of people who need to be inspected further by security personnel. The procedure was implemented as an extra security measure following the 9/11 attacks. While the TSA hasn't publicly revealed the exact criteria for SSSS selection, there is said to be a number of factors at play. The extra screening process can involve carry-on luggage inspection, personal questioning, enhanced pat-downs and electronic device screening. • Passengers who book last minute tickets • Passengers who purchase tickets with cash • Frequent trips to destinations deemed 'high-risk' by the US • Passengers on watchlists • Random selection On Reddit, one person said: "I've gotten SSSS several times flying back from Europe. "Once, the extra security screening (done before getting to the boarding gate in my case) was so slow that my flight left. "United booked my partner and me on new flights for the next day and got us a hotel. "We couldn't get seats on the same flights, however, so she left earlier than me. "Next day, we go back to the airport, I get my new boarding pass, and SSSS is on it again." Whilst one person called it 'the kiss of death', another added: "22+ hours of travel ahead of me and I already know that SSSS designation is going to make this hell."
