If you’re flying out of an airport in Michigan this summer, getting through security may be less of a hassle — you no longer need to remove your shoes.
The Transportation Security Administration announced the Department of Homeland Security was rolling out the change in a July 8 news release.
“Ending the ‘Shoes-Off’ policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation’s airports,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in the release. “We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience. As always, security remains our top priority.”
“Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards,” Noem added. “This initiative is just one of many the Trump administration is pursuing to usher in the President’s vision for a new Golden Age of American travel.”
Here’s what to know:
What’s changing at airport security?
TSA now allows passengers to keep shoes on while going through airport security checkpoints.
When does the no-shoe policy end?
The change ending the no-shoe policy took effect immediately, the July 8 TSA release said.
What is TSA?
The Transportation Security Agency is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security responsible for managing national security at U.S. airports and other transportation areas.
Will the change speed up airport security screening?
Now that passengers can keep their shoes on, the screening process should flow more smoothly, with shorter wait times expected, the news release said.
Previously, travelers would have to step aside to collect their carry-on bags and put their shoes back on after the screening.
What’s a ‘recombobulation area?
The Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport coined the name for the area after security checkpoints where people typically stop, collect their belongings, and put on their shoes and other items removed for screening.
A former Milwaukee airport director named the spot knowing that “recombobulation” isn’t an actual word, but he wanted to bring some fun to a stressful situation. The area has since become a revered fixture and often is used informally at other airports in the U.S.
Why did officials lift the rule?
DHS decided TSA doesn’t need travelers to take off their shoes to maintain airport safety, Noem said.
“We’ve gone back and looked at our security processes, looked at the efficacy of everything we do,” Noem said, and suggested that, overall, the shoe removal policy was no longer an especially effective tool for screening passengers.
She also said that the agency is confident that its technology is ready to handle the change at all airports nationwide.
“We’ve evaluated the equipment that every airport has and are fully confident with the no shoes policy that we still have the security needs in place at every checkpoint,” Noem said.
Why was the no-shoes policy first implemented?
The policy was implemented in response to a December 2001 attempt by an airline passenger to conceal a bomb in his shoe.
On Dec. 22, 2001, just months after the 9/11 attacks, Richard Reid boarded American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami with homemade bombs hidden in his shoes. Reid tried to detonate his shoes, but he struggled to light the fuse. Crew members and passengers noticed and restrained him.
The plane diverted to Logan International Airport in Boston, and Massachusetts State Police officers took Reid into custody. Reid told FBI agents that he made the shoes himself.
On Oct. 4, 2002, Reid pleaded guilty to eight terrorism-related charges. A judge sentenced him to life in federal prison.
Didn’t the shoe bomber fly to Detroit?
No, that was the “underwear bomber.”
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the attempted Christmas Day 2009 bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253.
As Flight 253 was on descent into Detroit Metropolitan Airport, he detonated the bomb, which resulted in a fire, but otherwise did not explode. Passengers and flight attendants tackled the defendant and extinguished the fire.
Abdulmutallab, 25, of Kaduna, Nigeria, pleaded guilty on Oct. 12, 2011, to conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries; attempted murder within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; willfully placing a destructive device on an aircraft, which was likely to have endangered the safety of the aircraft; attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction; willfully attempting to destroy and wreck a civil aircraft, and three counts of possession of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
When did the no-shoes policy begin?
TSA began the no-shoes policy for airport passengers in 2006.
Most travelers had to take off their shoes for standard security screening. There were a few exceptions:
What else has changed at TSA?
TSA announced its “Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease” program on July 2, giving uniformed service members and their families certain benefits, per a news release.
Benefits include TSA PreCheck enrollment fee waived for Gold Star family members, a $25 discount on TSA PreCheck enrollment for spouses of military and uniformed service members, and expedited access in TSA PreCheck lanes for military members at select airports located near larger military installations, the release said.
Florida Today, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Keep your shoes on. TSA ends ‘shoes off’ policy at Detroit Metro, other Michigan airports
Reporting by Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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