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3 US Airports Look to Give TSA the Boot
Newser • • nation
Key Points:
- Three US airports—Tampa, Des Moines, and Charleston—are set to replace federal TSA screeners with private contractors under the new Gold+ public-private screening program, while TSA maintains oversight.
- Airport officials aim to avoid disruptions from government shutdowns and accelerate access to advanced security technology through this privatization effort.
- The American Federation of Government Employees, representing about 47,000 TSA workers, strongly opposes the move, warning it risks returning to the pre-9/11 fragmented private security system and criticizing the lack of broad stakeholder input.
- The transition is planned for early to mid-2027, with current TSA officers eligible to continue under private contractors, who must match existing pay and benefits by law.
- Atlanta’s airport, the busiest globally, is also considering adopting a similar privatization model.
