The Transportation Security Administration plans to phase out the requirement for air travelers to take off their shoes during security screening at U.S. airports, nearly two decades after the practice was introduced.
According to ABC News an internal memo sent to TSA officers states the new policy letting travelers to keep their shoes on during screenings at many U.S. airports beginning this Sunday.
The TSA has not yet officially announced the policy.
However, CBS reported on Tuesday that passengers at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport and Los Angeles International Airport were allowed to keep their shoes on during the screening process.
A TSA spokesperson said the administration and Department of Homeland Security are looking for ways to enhance passenger experience as well as security posture.
“TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance passenger experience and our strong security posture,” the spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels,” the statement added.
The CBS News reported that airports that have started implementing the change include Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Portland International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina.
However, reports said passengers whose screening sets off an alarm would be required to take their shoes off as an additional security measure.
The TSA introduced the practice requiring passengers to take off their shoes in 2006 after a man named Richard Reid implanted explosives in his shoes while planning to blow up an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.
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