TSA

TSA policy shift on shoes raises questions about the future of PreCheck

By Jim Glab

In this week’s news, The Homeland Security Department said the Transportation Security Administration’s sudden reversal of its shoes-off rule for airport screenings could be followed by the relaxation of even more restrictions that its PreCheck program was designed to avoid; public charter carrier JSX unveils a rewards program; airlines start to revive service to Israel following the end of its 12-day war with Iran; Air India extends its reduction of San Francisco flights; there’s more international route news from Volaris, Etihad, ITA, Philippine Airlines and Air Canada; American releases schedule details for its next-generation 787-9P long-haul aircraft; a Southwest Airlines customer survey asks about possible changes to Companion Pass rules; Virgin Atlantic announces a new Wi-Fi provider and redesigns of its cabin interiors with a shift to more premium seating.

The Transportation Security Administration’s surprise decision this week to end — effective immediately — its decades-old requirement that airline passengers take off their shoes when going through security could be just the first of more changes. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a July 8 statement that TSA expects the policy change “will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience.” She said the new policy of keeping shoes on during security checks “is just one of many the Trump administration is pursuing” due to significant technological enhancements in passenger screening in recent years. According to the Wall Street Journal, Noem said at a press conference announcing the change that TSA is also reviewing the current requirements that travelers remove laptops from their carry-on luggage, limit the amount of liquids they carry to very small bottles, and take off their jackets and belts when they go through the checkpoint. 

But this raises questions about the future of TSA’s increasingly popular PreCheck program, since the shoes-off requirement and other restrictions for standard screening are exactly what PreCheck was designed to get around. The TSA reported last summer that the number of active PreCheck members hit 20 million — an increase of 33% from March 2023. And millions more who sign up for the Global Entry program for international travel are also admitted to PreCheck. This has led to the PreCheck lines at busy airports sometimes being as long as the regular screening lines, although TSA still maintains that PreCheck screening should never require a wait of more than 10 minutes. Depending on the vendor used to sign up, a first-time, five-year enrollment in PreCheck can cost $76.75 to $85, with renewals ranging from $58.75 to $77.95. The government has spent millions in recent years in an advertising and PR campaign to promote signing up for PreCheck. But if it continues to remove the advantages of membership, how long can PreCheck be expected to last?