The US Department of Homeland Security is ending its ‘shoes off’ policy for passengers passing through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at domestic airports.
Secretary for Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the change is expected to “drastically decrease passenger wait times” without compromising on security. “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,” she said.
Other aspects of TSA’s layered security approach will still apply during the TSA checkpoint process. For example, passengers must still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting and other processes.
Lower security risk
In April, TSA said it had been looking into replacement/retrofit of existing passenger screening systems, which could, among other things, change the way TSA officers screen shoes. A prototype was on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
Passenger Terminal Today asked Keith Jeffries, former federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport and now vice president of K2 Inc.’s Security Screening Group – which installs the majority of TSA’s security equipment – what led to the ‘shoes off’ policy change.
“The TSA has changed its security policy at airports for all standard passengers traveling in the United States, largely thanks to an array of new technologies,” Jeffries explained. “Among these, the computed tomography (CT) scanner stands out. It gives TSA agents three-dimensional views of the contents of baggage and is paired up with ‘automated threat recognition’ software. There is also the development of touchless ID verification technologies that use biometrics to verify passengers, and the Credential Authentication Technology that can validate passenger identities and flight information.
“While none of these new technologies mentioned are specific to passengers’ shoes, their implementation lowers the overall security risk. Additionally, the TSA has relied on nearly two decades of operational data to make this shift and this policy change wasn’t decided in a vacuum. I believe it’s a result of smart folks doing evidence-based analysis, coming up with a smart balance and finding the least intrusive but effective way to protect the traveling public while also improving the passenger experience.”
TSA said on July 8 that the security process has also become more efficient thanks to the implementation of REAL ID at checkpoints, which has seen a 94% compliance rate to date.