Travelers now can keep their shoes on at Tri-Cities Airport

Good news, Tri-Cities Airport travelers: You no longer have to fumble with your shoes while juggling your carry-on through the security line. 

A new national Transportation Security Administration policy allows airline passengers to keep their shoes on during the security screening process at airport security checkpoints. 

“This has been talked about for years, and it’s finally happening,” Buck Daft, the airport’s director, told Port of Pasco commissioners on July 9.  

The policy, announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on July 8, is intended to improve the traveler experience and reduce wait times at airports nationwide.  

The change is facilitated by TSA’s improving screening technology and multilayered security approach. Other security protocols, including identity verification, Secure Flight vetting and baggage screening, remain in place, ensuring passenger safety, airport officials said. 

Air travelers are still encouraged to arrive at the airport with ample time, especially during peak travel seasons. Taft told commissioners that there could be situations where travelers may need to remove their shoes during the security screening, such as if they have large metal buckles.