Share this @internewscast.com
Passengers at United States airports will no longer have to remove their shoes to pass through security, 20 years after the requirement was introduced.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem announced the change to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules at a news conference at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Passengers at US airports have been required to take off shoes during screenings since 2006, five years after the arrest of “Shoe Bomber” Richard Reid, who had explosives hidden in his footwear onboard.
Reid, a member of Al-Qaeda, was overpowered by other passengers as he tried to light a fuse on his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001.

Reid pleaded guilty to terrorism and other charges and is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado.

‘Security technology has changed dramatically’

“In those 20 years since that policy was put in place, our security technology has changed dramatically. It’s evolved. TSA has changed. We have a multi-layered, whole-of-government approach now to security,” Noem said.

“We are highly confident in our ability to keep offering hospitality to both American travelers and international visitors, all while upholding the same level of security for passengers and our homeland,” she stated.

A woman speaking at a podium, surrounded by people in blue uniforms.

Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said security technology had “evolved” over the past two decades. Source: AAP / AP / Mark Schiefelbein

The TSA said in a statement on the shoe policy change that other security measures will remain in place.

“Other aspects of TSA’s layered security approach will still apply during the TSA checkpoint process. For example, passengers subject must still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting, and other processes,” it said.
Past attacks — both successful and thwarted — have led to a raft of new airport security measures in recent decades, especially following the September 11 attacks in 2011, in which hijackers flew passenger jets into the Twin Towers in New York as well as the Pentagon.
In 2006, British authorities announced they had foiled a terror plot that aimed to blow up several planes in mid-air simultaneously with liquid explosives.
Since then, tough restrictions have applied to liquids and gels, such as toothpaste. And electronics have also come in for additional screening in a bid to head off attacks, with passengers required to remove laptops from bags, for instance.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Alison Taylor was a key volunteer at the Porirua Citizens Advice Bureau.

Elephant Attack Victim Honored for Dedication to the Community

Alison Taylor, a woman from New Zealand, tragically lost her life after…
Deer sprinting across ACT highway

Video of Wild Deer Dashing Across Road Highlights Nationwide ‘Emergency’

Dashcam footage of a deer narrowly missing cars as it darted across…
The Daily Cafe and Foodstore became inundated with journalists, visitors and cameramen hoping to score a hot coffee and breakfast before Erin Patterson's latest day in court.

“How a Murder Trial Boosted Business for a Morwell Cafe”

Brandon Moore’s small cafe in Morwell, a town of just under 15,000…
Erin Patterson

Expert Claims Mushroom Cook’s Murder Convictions Are ‘Appeal-Proof’

The judge in Erin Patterson’s triple-murder trial has made her case “virtually…
Lachlan Young, 23, faced the Victorian Supreme Court in Ballarat on Wednesday for the start of his murder trial.

Victorian Man Claims Innocence in Ex-Girlfriend’s Death, Court Told

A man who killed his former girlfriend and then tried to stage…
Small business owners react to RBA decision

Cafe and Pub Owners Face Challenges Following Interest Rate Change

According to data from Creditor Watch, 10% of hospitality businesses have shuttered…

Tragic Texas Floods: Over 100 Deceased, 160 People Unaccounted For

Key Points Torrential rains struck a region of Texas last Friday, unleashing…
Attorney General Pam Bondi, front, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, back left to right, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, speaks during a news conference at the Department of Agriculture to rollout the USDA'S National Farm Security Action Plan and discuss actions being taken to protect American agriculture from foreign threats in Washington, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trump Criticizes Media Amidst Denial of Epstein Client List by Authorities

President Donald Trump sprang to the defense of Attorney General Pam Bondi…

Texas Flood Tragedy: Death Toll Exceeds 100, 180 People Unaccounted For

Main Highlights Heavy rains hit a part of Texas last Friday, causing…
For many Americans, New Zealand looks like a dream getaway from the tumult of a second Trump administration

Liberal Americans Leave Trump’s America for a Dream Haven, Facing Unexpected Challenges Ahead

They’re now being referred to as ‘Trumpugees’: a growing group of affluent…

Reserve Bank’s Unexpected Interest Rate Decision: ‘Stay Tuned’

Interest rates are set to stay at 3.85 percent, with the Reserve…

Potential RBA Interest Rate Reduction: Implications for Australian Homeowners

The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to convene today, with most…