(The Hill) – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) immediately allowed travelers to keep their shoes on during the screening process, dropping the rules after nearly 20 years of enforcement, several outlets reported Monday.
Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem confirmed the changes at a press conference Tuesday.
“TSA and DHS are always looking for new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security attitude,” a TSA spokesperson said in News Nation, an email statement to Hill’s sister network.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Big News from @DHSGOV!” on social media platform X, which includes plane and shoe emojis on Tuesday morning.
The move was first reported Friday by Gate Access, a travel newsletter created by Caleb Harmon-Marshall.
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The TSA has been requiring travelers to remove their shoes when screening since 2006, based on “intelligence referring to continuous threats.”
The policy came into effect several months after Richard Reid attempted to explode a bomb hidden in his shoes on a scheduled American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001.
According to the FBI, he had trouble with the crew and passengers holding him in custody and lighting up the fuse. The plane was decoupled to Boston and law enforcement took the man into custody.
Reed pleaded guilty to eight terrorist-related numbers in October 2002 and was sentenced to life in prison.
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