Travelers at US airports don’t have to take off shoes anymore
Listen to the story (Filipino accent)
Travelers at airports in the United States will no longer need to remove their shoes during security checks. The Department of Homeland Security announced the major policy change on Tuesday.
This change ends a security rule that started almost 20 years ago. The rule was created after a man known as the “shoe bomber” tried to attack a flight from Paris to Miami in 2001.
For years, taking off shoes has been a normal part of airport security in the U.S.
An official said the government expects this change to make security checks much faster. This will lead to shorter wait times and a better, more efficient experience for passengers.
The main reason for this change is new and improved security technology. However, the official explained that security officers might still ask some travelers to remove their shoes. This will only happen if they believe extra checks are necessary.
The official said that they are confident that they can welcome visitors and keep the country safe.
Other security rules will stay the same. Travelers must still show their ID and have their bags scanned.
The TSA PreCheck program will also continue. For a fee, this program lets travelers pass through security without removing shoes, belts, or light jackets. An official said that PreCheck is still a good option for many people because there are other benefits, like not having to remove laptops from bags.
The TSA was created in 2001 to make air travel safer and continues to look for ways to improve security.
Vocabulary22 words
- Traveler
- A person who goes from one place to another, especially on vacation or in free time
- No longer
- in the past but not now; stopped; not anymore
- Security check
- When people and their bags are looked at carefully to make sure everyone is safe
- Announce
- share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report; to tell everyone
- Major
- very important, big or significant
- Policy
- a set of ideas or plans that is used for making decisions; guidelines; code; rules
- Rule
- A guideline or regulation; sometimes a law; A guide that tells us what we should or shouldn’t do
- Official
- a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Government
- the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Expect
- to think something will happen; forecast; predict; suppose
- Lead to
- if an action or event leads to something, it makes that thing happen or exist; begin a process that causes something to happen
- Wait time
- the amount of time a person has to spend waiting for something, sometimes in a line
- Efficient
- Doing something well without wasting time or effort
- Experience
- What happens to a person; something you “go through” or are part of; something that happens to you and/or around you
- Passenger
- a person who is traveling in a vehicle, or on a train or plane, but is not driving it or working on it
- Officer
- a person who works to keep people safe, like a police officer or a prison worker.
- Necessary
- Something that must be done or is needed
- Confident
- sure; certain; optimistic; hopeful; convinced
- Scan
- To put something in a machine or to move a machine over something to check inside of it
- Program
- project; initiative; a group of activities or things to be achieved; a plan with many parts
- Fee
- the cost of something; an amount of money that you pay; price; charge; rate
- Benefit
- advantage; something good; merit; strong point; perk
Quiz
Answer key
1. After a man tried to attack a plane. 2. New and better security technology. 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Travelers at _____ in the United States will no longer need to remove _____ shoes during security checks. The Department of Homeland _____ announced the major policy change on Tuesday.
_____ change ends a security rule that started almost _____ years ago. The rule was created after a man _____ as the “shoe bomber” tried to attack a flight from Paris to Miami in _____.
For years, taking off shoes _____ been a normal part of airport security in the U.S.
_____ official said the government expects this change to _____ security checks much faster. This will lead to shorter _____ times and a better, more efficient experience for passengers.
The _____ reason for this change is new and improved security _____. However, the official explained that security officers might _____ ask some travelers to remove their shoes. This _____ only happen if they believe extra checks are necessary.
The _____ said that they are confident that they can welcome visitors and _____ the country safe.
Other security rules will stay the same. _____ must still show their ID and have their bags scanned.
The TSA PreCheck _____ will also continue. For a fee, this program lets travelers pass _____ security without removing shoes, belts, or light _____. An official said that PreCheck is still a good _____ for many people because there are other _____, like not having to remove laptops from _____.
The TSA was created in _____ to make air travel safer and continues to look for _____ to improve security.
Discussion questions
- Do you think this new airport security rule is a good idea? Why or why not?
- What are some other ways airports could make security checks faster and easier for passengers?
- Do you think new technology can replace the need for security officers to make decisions?
- If you travel, what is the most annoying part of airport security for you?
- Would you join a program like TSA PreCheck for faster security, even if it costs money? Why or why not?
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