New US airport security changes may be coming soon

Dubai: Passengers travelling to the United States this summer may soon be moving through airport security lines faster, thanks to a potential new policy reversal. The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, has reportedly reversed a nearly 20-year-old policy of requiring passengers to remove their shoes at security lines.

Although the change is small, it has been a long resented rule, and will likely result in faster and more efficient airport security experiences, especially at major international airports with heavy traffic.

Here’s what you need to know about this policy.

TSA first implemented the shoes-off policy in 2006. The decision came following the December 2001 incident aboard an American Airlines flight travelling from Paris to Miami. On board, British man Richard Reid had a failed attempt to denote explosives that he had concealed in his shoes.

Currently, although the organisation has not formally addressed the rollback, TSA representatives continue to discuss the potential of new measures.

“TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture,” a TSA spokesman said, as reported by the New York Times. “Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels.”

The change is anticipated as security scanners and technology continue to improve. In fact, in January 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security shared their latest developments on a new shoe scanner. The scanner utilises High Definition-Advanced Imaging Technology to obtain scans in two to five seconds — all without having to remove shoes.

While the general public awaits the change to roll out nationwide and beyond, many passengers already take advantage of TSA PreCheck to avoid dealing with the extra shoes-off security step. In this system, travellers undergo an external background check and interview process for approval.

Once a TSA PreCheck member, these passengers are deemed ‘low-risk’ which then allows them to go through separate, special airport security lines. Apart from letting these passengers keep their shoes on during the security check, they also do not have to remove their laptops and pass them through the security scanner.