Updated 22 mins ago – Transit
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The TSA is ditching its shoe requirement. Photo: Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
U.S. airports will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes during preflight security checks, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: The shoes-off rule, imposed in 2006 after a Miami-bound passenger snuck explosives in his shoe on a flight from Paris, is an infamous source of stress for travelers.
Driving the news: Transportation Security Agency checkpoints at airports across the country will begin imposing the new policy immediately, Noem said at a press conference Tuesday.
- Noem said some travelers may still have to remove their shoes if additional screening is necessary.
What they’re saying: “We’ve evaluated the equipment that every airport has and are fully confident in the no-shoes policy that we still have the security [capabilities] in place at every single checkpoint.”
- Noem said she thinks travelers will be “thrilled” about the policy change, which she said will make airports more welcoming.
Frequent flyers who pay for TSA PreCheck and undergo a screening process could already keep their shoes on.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the shoe-removal policy’s end, which was initially reported as being implemented at only some airports, is now being rolled out nationwide.
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