Washington ( CNN ) -- After years of criticism , the Transportation Security Administration is taking the initial steps to modify screening for people age 75 or older . Beginning Monday , the TSA will test procedures allowing those passengers to leave their shoes on , as well as light outerwear . Other changes are intended to reduce the likelihood that older passengers will be subjected to a pat-down . Some airports want private screeners . The tests will be conducted at four airports : Chicago 's O'Hare , Denver International , Portland International in Oregon , and Orlando International . If they are successful , the TSA could expand the procedures to checkpoints nationwide . The new protocols closely parallel changes implemented last fall for passengers age 12 and under , and for the same reason -- intelligence indicates that they are unlikely to be involved in a terrorist attack , the TSA said . TSA spokesman Greg Soule said the agency is trying to `` move away from the one-size-fits-all approach '' to security screening . The changes will manage risk , but not eliminate it , he said . FAA changes safety reporting culture . At the selected checkpoints , passengers 75 and older will be allowed to leave their shoes and light outerwear on . If the full-body scanner detects an anomaly , the passenger will be allowed a second pass through the machine to resolve the issue . If the matter is still unresolved , the TSA screeners will be able to use other methods , such as an explosive trace detection test , before subjecting the traveler to a physical pat down . Passengers may be required to remove shoes and may still undergo a pat-down if anomalies persist . TSA officers will make a visual assessment to determine which passengers are 75 or older , the agency said . The TSA said the new procedures will allow officers to better focus on passengers who may be more likely to pose a risk to transportation while expediting the screening process .
The procedures being tested make allowances for people age 75 and older . They do n't have to take off their shoes or light outerwear , for instance . The tests are starting at checkpoints in Chicago , Denver , Portland and Orlando .