Removing shoes at US airports may soon be a thing of past

Travellers at some airports, including LaGuardia in New York City, may no longer need to undergo one of the most loathed requirements of security screening. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the transportation security administration (TSA) is letting people keep their shoes on.In recent days, TSA began dropping its requirement for travellers to remove shoes, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The agency has not officially announced this change and did not confirm the new policy, which appears to be taking effect at airports across the country."TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance passenger experience and our strong security posture," a TSA spokesperson said.

"Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels."The change was first reported by Gate Access, a travel newsletter written by Caleb Harmon-Marshall, who says he is a former TSA officer. He added he had seen a soft launch of the new policy at an airport as well as an internal memo briefing officers about it. The new policy is good for passengers and is long overdue, Harmon-Marshall said, in an emailed statement.

He added that officers would now be able to screen travellers more swiftly.

TSA has been requiring passengers to remove their shoes since 2006, nearly five years after a terrorist tried to detonate an explosive in his shoe while aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. Travellers pay for the privilege for keeping their shoes on, a hallmark of TSA's PreCheck programme, which costs roughly $80 for five years and grants expedited screening. Harmon-Marshall said he believed a "huge shift" was underway with PreCheck programme.