In a big change to airport security in the US, passengers at some major airports no longer have to take off their shoes during security checks. This rule had been in place since after the 9/11 attacks, but now the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is slowly removing it at certain airports. There has not been an official announcement yet.

According to a CBS News report, airports where people don’t need to remove their shoes anymore include Baltimore/Washington International, Fort Lauderdale International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Portland International, Philadelphia International, and Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina. Reporters also noticed that at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and New York’s LaGuardia Airport, passengers are also allowed to keep their shoes on, even though these airports were not officially named yet.

The new rule change only applies to travellers going through regular TSA security lines. People who have TSA PreCheck (a program for pre-approved travellers) already do not have to take off their shoes.The TSA has not officially announced this change yet. However, in a statement to CBS News, the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security said they are always looking for new ways to make travel easier while keeping security strong.
The rule about taking off shoes started in 2006 because of the "shoe bomber" incident. 

In 2001, a man named Richard Reid tried to blow up a plane by hiding explosives in his shoes. Passengers stopped him, and the plane landed safely. After that, airports made passengers take off their shoes to check for hidden items. At first, taking off shoes at airport security was voluntary, but soon it became a strict rule at all US airports. This new change is the first big step back from that rule in almost 20 years.

What this means for travellers in the US

This change will make things easier and faster for many people, especially frequent flyers. But it doesn’t apply everywhere yet. If you’re flying from an airport not on the current list, you should still plan to take off your shoes, unless you have TSA PreCheck. There is no set date for when this rule will be removed at all airports. However, according to the CBS report, more airports may quietly stop requiring shoe removal in the coming weeks.