Travelers no longer required to remove shoes at airport security

Travelers at U.S. airports are no longer required to remove their shoes during security screenings, as announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. This change, effective nationwide, follows a successful pilot program demonstrating the capability of the Transportation Security Administration's equipment to maintain safety without the shoe removal requirement. While the TSA PreCheck program remains the more streamlined option, the agency plans to test other screening improvements in the coming months. The TSA was established in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, and recent changes aim to address travel complaints, including the frequent bottleneck of security processes.