Shoes stay on in Aruba
Aruba’s airport security no longer requires passengers to remove shoes — a small but handy change for beach travellers and those with tight connection times (caribjournal.com). The move reflects broader Caribbean adjustments aimed at smoothing the passenger experience this travel season (caribjournal.com).
Aruba Airport Authority published an official press release on March 12, 2026 announcing an enhancement to passenger security screening at Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA). (airportaruba.com (airportaruba.com)) The release names Gershwin Lacle as AAA’s Security Manager and frames the update as part of AAA’s efforts to “improve the passenger journey” while maintaining international security standards. (airportaruba.com (airportaruba.com)) AAA tied the procedural update to investments in advanced screening technology under its multi‑year Gateway 2030 programme, which completed Phase 1A and began Phase 1B construction on October 16, 2024. (gobierno.aw (gobierno.aw)) Queen Beatrix handles roughly 3 million passengers annually, serves more than 25 airlines and links Aruba to about 31 countries with 45 nonstop routes, with approximately 79% of traffic coming from the United States. (xclusivomagazine.shorthandstories.com (xclusivomagazine.shorthandstories.com)) The move follows regional alignment with U.S. policy changes after the Department of Homeland Security announced an end to its shoes‑off policy on July 8, 2025, a shift officials said was enabled by newer screening technology. (dhs.gov (dhs.gov)) Aruba Airport amplified the update on social media, posting on its official TikTok that the change would begin March 13, 2026; that video showed thousands of engagements (about 4,359 likes at crawl). (tiktok.com (tiktok.com)) AAA’s announcement explicitly says the updated procedure is expected to streamline checkpoint flow, reduce wait times and still requires passengers to follow existing rules for liquids, electronics and documentation. (airportaruba.com (airportaruba.com))
