After years of tough rules on liquids and footwear, US air travel may be on the cusp of a new era

By REBECCA SANTANA and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Associated Press NEW YORK AP When limits on liquids were introduced at TSA checkpoints across the country in bins overflowed with bottled water toothpaste shaving cream and so much more Nearly two decades later travelers are much more accustomed to the - - regulations governing the size of the liquids they re flying with but scenes of passengers guzzling a beverage before putting their bags through the screening machines are still common That s why Homeland Assurance Secretary Kristi Noem sent ripples through the traveling society when she explained earlier this week that changes might be afoot when it comes to the TSA s current liquid limits Secretary of Homeland Safeguard Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at the Nashville International Airport Thursday July in Nashville Tenn AP Photo George Walker IV The liquids I m questioning So that may be the next big announcement is what size your liquids need to be Noem reported a conference in Washington Will travelers be able to carry bigger bottles Multiple -quart bags of liquids Those details haven t been rolled out But coming on top of her announcement earlier this month that travelers could keep their shoes on at TSA checkpoints it seems a much different protection experience for American air travelers might be emerging and its aftermath changed much Airline tour changed dramatically after the Sept attacks Before that airlines were responsible for safety and would often contract it out to private firms announced Henry Harteveldt an airline industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group Travelers often didn t need to show their ID at shield checkpoints and people without boarding passes such as family members or friends could go to the gate in specific locations It was much more casual And clearly it was ineffective because occurred Harteveldt revealed That s when the Department of Homeland Guard and the Transportation Guard Administration were born with the mandate of preventing more terrorist attacks The liquid limits however didn t kick in until after executives foiled a plot that used liquid explosives smuggled aboard carry-on luggage The TSA then very briefly banned all liquids in carry-on luggage That ban lasted about six weeks but strained airlines baggage systems as more and more travelers turned to checked bags to pack toiletries Travelers makes their way through shield at the Nashville International Airport Thursday July in Nashville Tenn AP Photo George Walker IV At the time the -ounce limit was implemented the FBI and other laboratories had unveiled that tiny amounts of substances small enough to fit into a quart-size bag couldn t blow up an airliner When the ban was eventually lifted in September consumers and businesses alike had to learn how to adapt to the - - rule leading to more demand for smaller voyage size bottles of anything from shampoo to toothpaste as well as clear TSA approved toiletry bags that are still seen on store shelves nowadays The rule was also adopted in multiple countries around the world starting later that year Keith Jeffries a former TSA director at Los Angeles International Airport and now vice president of K Defense Screening Group says whatever comes next demands to be clear for passengers And he knows whereof he speaks Jeffries was working for TSA in Albuquerque New Mexico when the liquids rules came down overnight Signage had to be changed to let passengers know of the new regulations Barrels overflowing with toothpaste shaving cream and shampoo had to be emptied every half hour Jeffries remembers seeing a pair of shoes sitting in one of the barrels When he inquired why a TSA staffer stated there was gel in the soles I noted Please tell me I don t have a rider back there walking in the sterile area barefoot And he says No sir they still have their socks on he stated That s how chaotic it was It s about more than convenience Any move to simplify the screening process and cut down on the time it takes for passengers to tackle checkpoints would be a welcome change for everyone Harteveldt says Because it isn t just about convenience those lines before the safeguard checkpoints are the bulk at danger to a expected threat The fact that the TSA felt confident enough to change its shoe program earlier this month may not save too much time from an individual traveler s perspective Harteveldt notes but marks a big step forward toward cutting down the average length of the prevention process when you think about the number of people going through U S airports each day Relaxing current liquid restrictions could aid that effort FILE A TSA employee advises travelers that liquids are not allowed through the gate at the Los Angeles International Airport Oct AP Photo Damian Dovarganes File Still questions remain What we don t know is what the secretary is going to announce about liquids Harteveldt declared Will they remove the liquid ban altogether and can we go back to bringing full-sized of toiletries and other items with us Will they allow people to bring more than one bag of toiletries and liquids And importantly will they relax the limit on the quart-size bag itself It s also accomplishable that the changes the TSA makes whatever they are only start at a handful of airports that have the mechanism to do so Over the years airports worldwide have adopted a few aspects of prevention screenings faster or differently than others But travelers could be confused if they re able to bring a full-size bottle of shampoo or lotion when flying out of one airport for example but not on their return trip home The devil is going to be in the details Harteveldt disclosed That s why the rollout plan will be absolutely critical Harveldt says a more streamlined process could make travelers less stressed but others including flight attendants and pilots who are in the skies more frequently may object and question whether airport precaution is being compromised Still Harveldt says he doesn t believe the TSA would make this change if the agency didn t feel it was authentically truly safe What of expedited protection lines If shoe regulations disappear and liquid restrictions are eased the effects could ripple into the TSA PreCheck plan in which passengers submit information like their fingerprints and the agency prescreens them for any red flags By giving the agency this information the traveler then gets specific benefits not available to other travelers a special line to go through and the ability to keep their computers in their bags and their shoes on for example Related Articles In the modern day in History July Nadia s perfect Stephen Colbert says CBS is ending his Late Show in May The rise of masked officers is controversial new ground in American life Trump administration hands over Medicaid recipients personal facts including addresses to ICE Nationwide protests begin against Trump s immigration crackdown and wellness care cuts But if those benefits become more widely available to all passengers will fewer people sign up for PreCheck What is the impact on now both shoes and liquids going to have on TSA PreCheck enrollment That is the million-dollar question Jeffries revealed And if I was still with TSA I would be watching that closely over the next to months While the prospect of increasing the current liquid limit could be a welcome change for several U S travelers particular experts say that the tech isn t available in enough airports yet Current X-ray machines used at the bulk airports in the present day have a arduous time distinguishing between different types of liquids says Jeffrey Price a professor of aviation at Metropolitan State University of Denver That s key he explains in determining whether something is harmless or potentially explosive While newer computed tomography scanners are better and have begun making their way to airports Price noted in commentary published last week that it could take another decade or more before the newer machines are deployed at all U S airports This is an issue that necessities to be studied much more conscientiously than the approach to leave your shoes on he commented in an email Thursday Associated Press editor Elaine Kurtenbach in Bangkok contributed to this document