Going through The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been a pain ever since the 2001 terror attacks. The reason is, of course, a good one, as we do not want to be the victims of another attack and ever since then there have been a few other attempts, but with the improvements in X-ray technology and other forms of security measures being implemented, some of the annoyances that travelers have to go through before being allowed to board a plane have become unnecessary. Thankfully, one of them seems to be going away and that is the need to remove your shoes when going through security.
Again, as annoying as it is, this practice was routed in an incident that happened and that could have been a lot worse, and that is that Richard Reid, known as the “shoe bomber,” attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his boots in December 2001. Luckily, he did not succeed, but because of him, we have had to remove our shoes and limit the amount of liquids we are allowed to transport for the better part of twenty years.
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Frequent travelers know the routine, all liquids in a clear plastic bag, electronics fully charged and in a separate tray along with your watch, shoes and jackets off and placed in containers as well. Preferably no food that can make anyone question the origin in the bags. All that to possibly avoid being singled out by security.
But now it seems like some airports like Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York are no longer requiring their passengers to remove their shoes when going through screening and considering it is such an annoying part of travel, passengers noticed.
Now, the TSA has not made any official announcements revoking or supporting the policy, but Social Media has been quick to report on the change and to pinpoint the locations where it has taken place until now. According to both users and CBS, who picked up the story, airports in Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Cincinnati, Portland, and Philadelphia are also letting go of this expectation, while others, like O’Hare in Chicago, continue to apply the traditional rule.
This has made some users believe that it is a gradual implementation and that it might have something to do with the type of machines that are available for screenings or some kind of algorithm that determines risk, but until the agency discloses the policy and the reason behind it, we will continue to wonder and make a list of the airports that will allow us to remain fully clothed, or at least keep out shoes on.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Tuesday that things were changing “Our security technology has changed dramatically. It’s evolved. TSA has changed. We have a multilayered, whole-of-government approach now to security and to the environment that people anticipate and experience when they come into an airport that has been honed and it’s been hardened.”
Many have long questioned the effectiveness of the measure, as TSA PreCheck has offered expedited screening perks for a very long time, like keeping shoes and electronics in place, but gaining access meant submitting to a background check and paying a fee, which not everyone was willing or able to do, transforming security into another perk for the rich.
Now, a recent shift suggests the agency aims to extend some of that convenience to a broader group of travelers, streamlining the process while still maintaining safety standards. As the TSA’s public affairs office noted, the agency and the Department of Homeland Security “are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture.”