Travelers at some U.S. airports may no longer have to remove their shoes as part of routine airport security screenings conducted by the Transportation Security Administration. Multiple news outlets, including ABC News, CBS News and NBC News, cited sources who were familiar with the possible change in the decades-old TSA policy.
Neither TSA nor the Department of Homeland Security has issued an official statement on the policy change. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is scheduled to hold a press conference at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where she is expected to announce “a new policy from the [TSA] that will make screening easier for passengers, improve traveler satisfaction, and will reduce wait times.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt seemingly confirmed the expiration of the policy, responding to a CBS story on X Tuesday, calling it “Big news from @DHSgov!”
A statement obtained by USA Today did not officially confirm the shoe removal policy change, but read: “TSA and (the Department of Homeland Security) are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture. Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels.”
TSA and DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Yahoo.
Which U.S. airports will be the first to exempt all travelers from removing their shoes?
CBS News cited sources who said the security policy would expire in phases and start at the following airports:
- Baltimore/Washington International Airport
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Portland International Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina
Why did TSA implement the ‘no shoe’ policy in the first place?
In December 2001, just months after the 9/11 terror attacks in the U.S., a British man named Richard Reid attempted to blow up an American Airlines flight with explosives hidden in his shoe. He failed to detonate the explosives, and passengers helped to restrain him. The flight from Paris to Miami landed safely in Boston. Reid was later known as the “shoe bomber.”
After the incident, airlines and the newly created TSA asked passengers to voluntarily remove their shoes for screening at airports. In 2006, TSA implemented the no-shoes rule nationwide.
Was anyone exempt from the rule?
The following travelers currently do not have to remove their shoes at the security checkpoint at the airport:
- Children 12 years old and under
- Travelers enrolled with trusted programs, such as TSA PreCheck and Clear, which involves a clearance process with TSA
