Passengers at many major U.S. airports will soon no longer have to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints, nearly 20 years after the policy began.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is phasing out its long-standing requirement for passengers to remove their shoes at airport security checkpoints, nearly two decades after the policy was first introduced.
According to a memo obtained by ABC News, TSA officers nationwide were notified last week that passengers will now be permitted to keep their shoes on in all screening lanes at many major airports beginning Sunday. The policy will be gradually expanded to all U.S. airports.
Previously, only travelers enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program were exempt from removing their shoes. Passengers who trigger scanner alarms will still be required to remove their footwear for additional checks.
The agency says the move aims to streamline airport screening and reduce delays. The shoe removal rule was implemented in 2006 following a 2001 failed attempt by Richard Reid to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes aboard an American Airlines flight.
TSA has yet to issue a formal public statement regarding the policy change.