Airports in Tampa, Des Moines and Charleston will be the first to opt into TSA Gold+, the Trump administration’s new initiative that allows private contractors to manage the screening and security processes.
Under the new program, the Transportation Security Administration is still in charge of oversight, but some industry leaders are calling the decision a “step backwards” for aviation security.
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA agents, denounced the expansion of these public-private partnerships.
“Make no mistake – this is a major departure and step backwards from the aviation screening security system that Congress created in the wake of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks in 2001 and the deadly bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland in 1988,” Everett Kelley, the national president of AFGE, said in a press release.
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TSA announced the new program in May in an email sent to employees, and the agency recently began accepting applications from private contractors, due at the end of the month. The agency bypassed congressional approval by relying on existing statutory authorities found in the Screening Partnership Program launched by TSA in 2004.
The White House added $52 million to the fiscal year 2027 budget proposal to help advance the push for privatization in security and screening at airports — which includes a mandatory expansion of the SPP that could affect up to 220 of the nation’s 440 commercial airports, according to the AFGE.
“Changes of this magnitude should not be made behind closed doors without the input of Congress, the flying public, the local airport authorities, and TSA employees themselves,” Kelley said.
Tampa International Airport cited increased efficiency and the need to supplement their workforce during government shutdowns as reasons for opting into the program.
“The change to privatization not only reduces disruption risks caused by lapses in federal appropriations or government shutdowns but also allows greater flexibility in exploring new screening checkpoint infrastructure and technology to enhance the customer experience,” an airport spokesperson said.
Twenty airports across the country have used the SPP to fill gaps in their workforces during previous shutdowns, including earlier this year, when TSA agents worked without pay for 76 days during the partial government shutdown.
Des Moines International Airport praised the program’s potential to provide “leap forward in technology” at security checkpoints, but the airport also acknowledged the concerns current transportation security officers may have about adopting TSA Gold+.
“TSA officers have done an outstanding job serving Central Iowa, and we recognize there is uncertainty whenever a new program is discussed,” Brian Mulcahy, CEO of the Des Moines Airport Authority, said in a press release.
“TSA Gold+ presents a new way for airports to deliver exceptional service to every traveler, while advancing security, efficiency, and the overall airport experience,” TSA said in a statement. “Throughout the transition of these airports, we remain committed to operational stability and supporting our employees.”
The Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Des Moines International Airport is set to adopt TSA Gold+ in January 2027, with Charleston International Airport following in February and Tampa International Airport in May, according to correspondence shared with NOTUS by the AFGE.
The labor union argued that the potential expansion into airports across the country not only impacts TSA employees but also the overall safety of the aviation system.
“The administration’s actions should concern all Americans, and AFGE will continue to speak out against any proposal that threatens our members’ jobs and jeopardizes the safety of the flying public,” Kelley said.
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