Fliers may have been annoyed earlier this year with the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) implementation of the new Real ID requirements, but they’ll likely be much happier with the agency’s latest reported rules change: Passengers will be able to keep their shoes on when going through security at U.S. airports. Here’s what you need to know about the updated TSA shoes rules.
What’s happened?
Citing government sources, multiple media outlets are reporting that the TSA has nixed the requirement that passengers going through airport security must take off their shoes. The nixing of the policy comes nearly 20 years after it was first implemented in 2006.
Gate Access, a Substack dedicated to travel stories, was the first to reveal the shoe policy changes back on July 4. And while Transportation Security Administration officials have not publicly confirmed the change, nor has the agency released any public memos about the change, multiple government officials have told outlets, including ABC News and NBC News, that the new policy is being rolled out.
Additionally, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt seemed to confirm the news by reposting a tweet by CBS News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs about the changes. Leavitt commented, “Big news from @DHSgov” with the retweet.
Fast Company has reached out to the TSA for comment.
What is the new TSA shoes policy, exactly?
The exact new TSA shoe policy is not known at this time because the agency has not posted any public information about it. But on Monday, the agency did issue a press release stating that it was “exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture.”
However, NBC News reports that a senior government official has confirmed that passengers at select airports will now be able to leave their shoes on when going through security checkpoints.
The government official said the relaxation of the shoe removal rule could expand to airports nationwide in the near future.
When does the new shoes policy start?
ABC News reports that the policy officially went into place on Sunday.
What airports can I leave my shoes on now?
CBS News reports that sources familiar with the change said initial airports include the following:
- Baltimore/Washington International Airport
- Fort Lauderdale International Airport
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Portland International Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina
But CBS News also confirmed that some passengers at the following airports were not being required to remove their shoes when going through security:
- Los Angeles International Airport
- New York City’s LaGuardia Airport
Why was the shoe removal policy in place?
Many people mistakenly assume that the shoe removal policy was put in place because of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. However, the shoe removal rules came after a man tried to blow up a plane using a shoe bomb in December of that year. In fact, the policy was not implemented by the TSA until 2006.
As noted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Richard Reid attempted to light explosives contained in his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. He was restrained by passengers and the flight crew on board the flight.
The FBI said that had the bomb detonated, it would have blown a hole in the plane’s fuselage, causing it to crash.
