Mohan Sinha
10 Jul 2025, 23:46 GMT+10
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on July 8, marking a major shift in airport security procedures nearly two decades after the rule was introduced.
Effective immediately, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will eliminate the long-standing shoe removal requirement at checkpoints nationwide. Noem said a successful pilot program demonstrated that existing technology can detect threats without requiring passengers to remove their footwear.
"While shoe removal will no longer be standard procedure, travelers may still be asked to remove their shoes if additional screening is deemed necessary," Noem clarified.
The requirement originated in 2006, in response to the 2001 attempted bombing by Richard Reid, the so-called "shoe bomber," who tried to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes on a transatlantic flight. Since then, all passengers aged 12 to 75 have been required to remove their shoes for X-ray screening along with their carry-on items.
The travel newsletter Gate Access first reported the policy shift. Travelers enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program—who pay about $80 for five years—have long been exempt from shoe removal, as well as from removing belts, light jackets, laptops, and toiletries.
The TSA was established in late 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when President George W. Bush signed legislation creating a federal agency to take over airport screening from private contractors.
Over the years, TSA has introduced various technologies and policy changes to improve both security and passenger convenience, including facial recognition pilots and the push for Real ID compliance. However, security checkpoints remain a common frustration for travelers.
President Donald Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently posted on social media seeking public input on how to improve the travel experience. "It's clear that TSA is the #1 travel complaint," he wrote on X. "That falls under the Department of Homeland Security. I'll discuss this with @Sec_Noem."
Earlier this year, Trump fired TSA Administrator David Pekoske, whom President Joe Biden had reappointed after being originally appointed by Trump during his first term. No official reason was given for Pekoske's dismissal, and the administrator role remains vacant, according to the TSA's website.
Get a daily dose of Caribbean Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Caribbean Herald.
More InformationLONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday with all the major indices gaining ground. Markets in the UK, Europe and Canada...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Financial markets kicked off the week on a cautious note as President Donald Trump rolled out a fresh round...
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: At a two-day summit over the weekend, the BRICS bloc of emerging economies issued a joint declaration condemning...
LONDON, U.K.: This week, BP appointed Simon Henry, former Shell finance chief, to its board as a non-executive director effective September...
Kingston [Jamaica], July 10 (ANI): Australian batting coach Michael Di Venuto has brushed off Stuart Broad's recent criticism of Australia's...
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 10 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's...
ABU DHABI, 10th July, 2025 (WAM) -- UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received the oath of office...
(250710) -- RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10, 2025 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on July 9, 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, shows a post published...
St John's [Antigua], July 10 (ANI): Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Thursday announced their intentions to 'lead the charge in shaping,...
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], July 10 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday...