DHS: TSA to end 'Shoes-Off' travel policy, effective immediately at airports
Secretary Kristi Noem said officials want to increase airport efficiency before the U.S. hosts the World Cup and Olympics.
Racing to catch your flight just got a little easier as Homeland Security now says Transportation Security Administration's shoe removal rule at airport security checkpoints is getting the boot.
Secretary Kristi Noem announced an end the "Shoes-Off" travel policy effective immediately.
Noem said officials want to increase airport efficiency before the U.S. hosts the World Cup and Olympics.
Most passengers have been required to take off their shoes since 2006, five years after "shoe bomber" Richard Reid's attempted attack.
Noem added that while the rule may be over, there might be some exceptions.
"The one thing that I will say is that doesn't mean that there won't be times once in a while where someone will have to remove their shoes if they get put into a different situation or need additional layers of screening where that may be asked of them," said Noem.
Noem said Homeland Security is reviewing the rules for removing a belt, coat or items out of a bag such as laptops or liquids. They are still in effect.
Leaving your shoes on is the latest in a series of changes for the TSA. With the implementation of REAL ID at airport checkpoints, DHS says it has seen a 94% compliance rate - which it says has led to a more efficient security process.
