Travelers thrilled as TSA ends shoe removal policy at airports

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Travelers at airports across the country, including Reagan National Airport, are thrilled thanks to a new TSA policy that no longer requires passengers to remove their shoes during security screenings.

The change, announced Tuesday by Homeland Security, is now in effect nationwide and has already made a noticeable difference for many.

Joe Bradley was debating which shoes to wear before heading to the airport Wednesday morning to speed up his security process.

“I enjoy that very much because it’s a pain to have to take them off and put them back on and tie them,” said Bradley.

The “Shoes-Off” policy had been in place since 2006, after a failed 2001 shoe bomb attempt prompted tighter screening rules. After a successful pilot program and advancements in airport security technology, officials say it’s safe to skip the step.

“It’s such an inconvenience to take off your shoes every time. It wastes time,” said passenger Madison Diaz. “I think it’s really great that now that’s no longer required for everyone.”

Department of Homeland Security officials said the new rule maintains the same level of safety.

“We are very confident that we can continue to provide hospitality to folks while maintaining the same standard of security for passengers and for our homeland,” added Kristi Noem, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, during a press conference Tuesday.

Passengers like Antoine Torae said they noticed the change right away.

“We just came back yesterday through Orlando MCO and kept our shoes on. It was no line, we went through fairly easy. It definitely sped up the process,” Torae added.

Many travelers also expressed confidence in modern scanning systems, saying they believe today’s technology is advanced enough to spot threats without adding extra steps to an already stressful experience.

Still, TSA officials note that travelers may still be asked to remove their shoes if additional screening is required. And for the smoothest experience, they say TSA PreCheck remains the best bet since PreCheck members still don’t have to remove laptops or liquids either.