In December 2001, on a flight to Miami, Richard Reid attempted to ignite explosives in his shoe. Fifteen years and no exploding Nikes later, travelers still have to remove their footwear before boarding a plane. The practice seems more frustrating than comforting, especially as delays plague airports nationwide. So why is it still policy? Officials insist that terrorist groups remain interested in shoe bombs, and experts say it’s easier to enact a security measure than to roll one back. While kids, the elderly and those with PreCheck can keep their shoes on, the rest of us should remember our slip-ons.
This appears in the July 11, 2016 issue of TIME.
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, Undoing Constitutional Right to Abortion
- What the Supreme Court’s Abortion Decision Means for Your State
- The Failure of the Feminist Industrial Complex
- The Fight Over Abortion Has Only Just Begun
- Column: How Stereotypes Shape the Language People Use
- Everything We Know About Beyoncé's New Album, Renaissance
- Homes Made from Straw or Fungi Can Now Get You a Cheaper Mortgage in the Netherlands
- Going on Vacation This Summer? Welcome to the 'Revenge Travel' Economy
Read More From TIME