Here's what wasn't shared during the TSA "Shoes-Off" press conference

Read today's edition of "On The Radar" by Gate Access • July 9th, 2025

Happy Wednesday. Huge welcome to my new readers. Overnight, this newsletter received a ton of attention due to the exclusive I broke, which I’m sure you’re aware of by now. With the new attention, I wanted to share some thoughts.

The foundation of Gate Access is to provide travelers with information that improves their travel experience. I believe the best information comes from the workforce, not from press releases. I’ve spent years building relationships across multiple sectors of the travel industry, which has allowed me to access information that is often unknown to the public.

I take great pride in that, and often feel a huge responsibility to protect the information I’m privy to, because not everything needs to be shared publicly. Oh, but don’t worry - I’ll always share the information I believe will enhance your travel experience in some way.

I felt the need to express this because my credibility and validity were called into question due to this breaking story. I charge it to, “they just don’t know who I am yet”.

That said, I’m focused on building my reputation and ensuring that Gate Access is recognized as a credible and trusted source in the media.

I appreciate your trust in me and your decision to subscribe to this newsletter. Now onto “On The Radar”.

---

👀 On The Radar

Yesterday, Secretary Noem held a rushed press conference to address my exclusive story, which garnered huge media attention. I was invited to the press conference but was unable to attend; however, I did watch it, and I have thoughts to share.

Overall, I thought Secretary Noem did an excellent job addressing the media. In my opinion, the reporters didn’t ask a single challenging question.

She addressed the three points the media wanted clarity on, which were:

• Is the “Shoes-Off” policy a nationwide one? Yes, and it took effect on Monday, as I previously reported.

• Why now, and was this security theater? The latest technology that TSA has access to allows it. I’m saving my thoughts on the security theater element for another date.

• Is the only exception to this rule for travelers who aren’t REAL ID compliant? She mentioned that 94% of travelers are compliant with the REAL ID Act, which is an incredible statistic(if accurate). She also noted that non-compliant travelers will not result in an automatic shoe removal mandate; however, I want to make it clear that if you have to undergo secondary screening for any reason, your shoes will be removed.

There’s one major area I wish the reporters had explored in greater depth, and I also want to share the truth about the current value of TSA PreCheck.