ALEXANDRIA, La. (WNTZ) – Travelers departing Alexandria International Airport can now keep their shoes on during security screening under new Transportation Security Administration procedures implemented this week.

Effective immediately, most passengers at AEX will no longer be required to remove footwear at TSA checkpoints unless their shoes trigger an alarm during screening, according to David Keller, airport operations manager for Alexandria International Airport.

“Passengers no longer have to remove their footwear if they do not alarm on the screening,” Keller said. “If they alert, further screening may be necessary, to include footwear removal.”

The no-shoe policy had been in place nationwide since 2006 and is being rolled back gradually across U.S. airports. TSA officials said the change is intended to “enhance passenger experience and our strong security posture.”

Passengers are encouraged to visit www.tsa.gov for more details about the new protocol.

Alexandria International Airport is part of England Airpark, a mixed-use development encompassing about 4,000 acres and offering connections by air, highway, rail and port. The airpark includes more than 300 residential units and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space supporting aviation, transportation, manufacturing, education and engineering sectors.

More information about England Airpark can be found at www.englandairpark.org.