❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that passengers will no longer need to remove their shoes during airport security screenings.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The TSA, passengers at U.S. airports, and Muslim convert Richard Reid, a.k.a. Abdul Raheem, the “Shoe Bomber.”
📍WHEN & WHERE: The change takes effect on July 13, 2024, and will apply to all U.S. airports.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I flew through LaGuardia this morning and when I went to take my shoes off, the TSA agent yelled at me like I was a crazy person doing something completely unexpected,” said one passenger on X (formerly Twitter).
🎯IMPACT: The change aims to streamline airport security processes, though some have raised concerns about potential security risks.
Passengers traveling through U.S. airports will no longer have to remove their shoes during security screenings, according to a new memo from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The policy change, which will take effect on July 13, was revealed in a message sent to TSA staff last week.
This adjustment comes after years of enforcement of the “no shoe rule,” implemented following an attempt by Muslim convert Richard Reid, a.k.a. Abdul Raheem, to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes on American Airlines Flight 63 in December 2001. Reid’s actions, which occurred just months after the September 11 terror attacks, led to heightened security protocols, including mandatory shoe removal during screenings.
Passengers have already started noticing the change. CBS News reported that travelers at Los Angeles International Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport were allowed to keep their shoes on during security checks earlier this week. Online, many passengers expressed relief, with one saying, “I flew through LaGuardia this morning and when I went to take my shoes off, the TSA agent yelled at me like I was a crazy person doing something completely unexpected.”
Some have voiced concerns over the potential security implications of the new policy. However, the TSA memo indicates that passengers who trigger security scanners will still be required to remove their shoes for additional screening.
The TSA has not yet issued an official public statement, though the policy is expected to be rolled out nationwide.
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