Key facts
- The TSA's Horizon 25 Strategy suggests upcoming changes to aviation security protocols.
- A TSA policy change in July 2025 will no longer require footwear removal for passengers screened by millimeter wave machines.
- A remote screening terminal in Framingham, Mass., launched in June 2026, has screened over 10,000 passengers in its first two months.
- The TSA is deploying computed tomography machines for carry-on bag screening.
- The author argues that nearly all 2.5 million daily passengers are over-screened.
- The author proposes making TSA PreCheck free for all willing to undergo background checks.
Aviation security expert Sheldon H. Jacobson argues that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is over-screening the vast majority of air travelers, creating inefficiencies and potentially increasing risk. Jacobson, who has 30 years of experience in risk-based aviation security and contributed to the technical foundation of TSA PreCheck, suggests that current security measures are not optimally balanced between security and convenience.
Recent TSA actions, such as the July 2025 announcement to no longer require footwear removal for passengers screened by millimeter wave machines, are seen as premature and potentially risky, especially as dedicated shoe scanners are still under development. Jacobson notes that while PreCheck passengers are exempt from some requirements due to background vetting, these relaxations are being applied broadly without sufficient assessment of increased system risk.
The TSA's launch of a remote screening terminal in Framingham, Mass., in June 2026, which has screened over 10,000 passengers, is also questioned. Jacobson suggests such programs should be limited to PreCheck passengers, particularly when walk-through metal detectors are used instead of millimeter wave machines.
However, Jacobson commends the TSA's Gateside by TSA PreCheck program, which allows PreCheck members to pass through checkpoints even when not flying, as a properly risk-managed initiative. He also notes the deployment of computed tomography machines for carry-on bags, which improve threat detection and could pave the way for relaxing the three-ounce liquids rule, though he advocates for restricting this to PreCheck passengers.
Jacobson's core argument is that focusing on identifying risky individuals through robust vetting, like the PreCheck program, is more effective than screening every item. He proposes making TSA PreCheck free for anyone willing to undergo the background check, which he believes would lead to all lanes being designated PreCheck except for one at each airport for those not enrolled or rejected. This, he contends, would enhance convenience, reduce the need for TSA officers, lower technology costs, and maintain low waiting times, ultimately making air travel more secure.