The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has ended its "shoes-off" policy at domestic airport security checkpoints, effective immediately, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday.
The policy was instituted in 2006 as a response to a December 2001 incident in which a passenger attempted to light explosive material in his shoe during a flight.
"We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience," Noem said in a statement. "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."
Some airline passengers already have been permitted to bypass the removal of their shoes through enrollment in TSA's PreCheck program.