TSA to Allow Passengers to Keep Shoes On at Airport Security

Passengers will no longer have to take their shoes off at the airport. After nearly 20 years, the TSA appears to be getting rid of the rule requiring passengers to take off their shoes.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is planning to allow passengers to keep their shoes on when they go through the general security line at many major airports across the country, two sources told ABC News.

An unexpected memo went out to TSA officers across the country last week stating the new policy will allow all passengers to keep their shoes on in all screening lanes at many airports across the country, starting Sunday.

The goal is to roll the new policy out to all U.S. airports shortly, according to the memo. Previously, only passengers in the TSA PreCheck line were able to keep their shoes on in most cases.

Passengers who trigger the alarm at the scanners or magnetometers, however, will be required to take their shoes off for additional screening, according to the memo.

This is a major shift since TSA began requiring passengers to take their shoes off in 2006. The policy came five years after Richard Reid tried to blow up an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami with explosives packed in his shoes. The explosives failed to detonate and Reid was held down by fellow passengers and the flight crew.

In a statement, the TSA said, 'TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture. Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels.'

According to the source: ABC7 Los Angeles.