At 20 U.S. Airports, passengers are experiencing significantly shorter security lines than at many larger facilities currently grappling with staffing shortages, a consequence of the ongoing partial government shutdown. These airports utilize private companies, through the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Screening Partnership Program (SPP), to handle security screening instead of TSA employees.
Airports participating in the SPP include San Francisco International, Kansas City International, and Orlando Sanford International, along with 17 smaller regional airports. While major hubs like Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have reported wait times exceeding two hours this week due to TSA employee absences, the SPP airports have largely avoided similar disruptions.
Sheldon Jacobson, a computer science professor who analyzes aviation security data, stated, “These 20 airports are completely oblivious to the government shutdown.” VMD Corp., which manages security checkpoints at Kansas City and Orlando Sanford, highlighted the efficiency on social media, claiming lines at their SPP airports are consistently under three minutes.
The current disruptions stem from the fact that government-employed TSA screeners have not received paychecks in over a month, as Congress remains deadlocked over funding for the Department of Homeland Security related to immigration policy. Private contractors, however, have continued to pay their employees throughout the shutdown.
Nat Carmack, of BOS Security, which provides screening services at Tupelo Regional Airport in Mississippi, explained, “All operations at the privatized airports are normal because we continue paying our employees during the shutdown.” Carmack acknowledged the financial strain on the company, stating they will cover payroll costs until the government reopens and processes invoices, calling it “a burden, but we cover those payrolls.”
Despite operating under private management, all security operations at these airports remain subject to federal oversight and must adhere to the same security standards as TSA-staffed checkpoints. Private companies have the autonomy to determine staffing levels and compensation. Keith Jeffries, former TSA federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport and current vice president of K2 Security Screening Group, emphasized that the security process itself remains consistent regardless of who employs the screeners. “The security screeners with private companies receive the same type of training as TSA,” he said.
Switching to private screening is not a quick fix for airports facing staffing issues. Airports must first obtain TSA approval, a process that can take up to a year, with a contract awarded within six months of approval, according to BOS Security. Jeffries suggested that larger airports may be hesitant to transition, operating under a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality.
BOS Security asserts that private contractors often outperform TSA in contraband detection, offer greater cost-effectiveness, and achieve higher employee satisfaction. However, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union representing TSA screeners, argues that contracts, frequently awarded based on the lowest bid, compromise security, prioritize profit over passenger safety, and contribute to staff shortages. The union also points out that prior to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, all U.S. Airport security was handled by private companies.
Jacobson views the arrangement as a “partnership,” drawing a parallel to NAV CANADA, which has managed Canada’s air traffic control system since its privatization in 1996. “You don’t set the standards in the private sector,” Jacobson said. “You deliver the final product… in the private sector.”
The airports currently utilizing the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program are: Atlantic City International Airport (New Jersey); Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (California); Dawson Community Airport (Montana); Great Falls International Airport (Montana); Glacier Park International Airport (Montana); Greater Rochester International Airport (New York); Havre City-County Airport (Montana); Kansas City International Airport (Missouri); L. M. Clayton Airport (Montana); Orlando Sanford International Airport (Florida); Portsmouth International Airport (New Hampshire); Punta Gorda Airport (Florida); Roswell International Air Center (New Mexico); San Francisco International Airport (California); Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (Florida); Sidney-Richland Municipal Airport (Montana); Sioux Falls Regional Airport (South Dakota); Tupelo Regional Airport (Mississippi); Wokal Field/Glasgow International Airport (Montana); and Yellowstone Airport (Montana).
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