TSA axes shoe checks for air travelers

The Transportation Security Administration will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes during airport security checks, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday afternoon. TSA enacted multiple layers of tech screening over several years, making the nearly 20-year-old policy unnecessary, she said. Noem said passengers already undergo multiple safety screening layers, including identity verification with the recent REAL ID enforcement.

President Donald Trump pledged to make life better for all Americans and that includes airline travelers, she added. The administration aimed to improve travel experiences while maintaining crucial safety standards to keep people safe, Noem said. She noted that some passengers may still be required to remove their shoes if they are flagged for additional security screenings. Officials first enacted the shoe policy in 2006 several years after the infamous “shoe bomber” planned to bomb an American Airlines flight bound for Miami with explosives hidden in his shoe. The shoe bomber plot came months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York’s World Trade Center, which also triggered a number of bolstered airport safety policies.

Will other airport security checks remain in place? Policies on passengers removing belts, and coats remain in place, Noem said. Travelers will also still need to remove technology and liquids from their bag, but DHS officials are reviewing these policies, she added.

Dig deeper: Read my report on TSA enforcing the REAL ID policy.