Three US airports to outsource security to private firms under TSA Gold+ program

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A trio of U.S. airports are getting set to outsource security screening to private contractors in the coming months.

Three airports — in Tampa, Fla.; Des Moines, Iowa and Charleston, S.C. — will be the first in the country to opt in to TSA Gold Plus, a program launched earlier this year by the Trump administration.

Under the setup, third-party companies would partner with the Transportation Security Administration at participating hubs to manage airport security checkpoints and the officers that work them.

Supporters say the move would help modernize and speed up airport security, and reduce the risk of long backups during government shutdowns.

But critics argue expanding privatized security to more airports presents security risks.

HEATHER DIEHL/GETTY IMAGES Here's what to know about the changes, and what it means for air travel in the U.S.

What is TSA Gold+?

TSA Gold Plus is a new partnership program launched earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It allows airports to voluntarily opt in to using private, third-party companies to manage security checkpoints instead of TSA officers employed by the federal government.

Those companies would also manage the technology that screens travelers and their bags.

The TSA says it would still be charged with ensuring all security checkpoints meet federal standards.

Which airports are participating?

The initial three airports joining the TSA's new program are:

Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Charleston International Airport (CHS) in South Carolina

Des Moines International Airport (DSM) in Iowa

But additional hubs may opt in; the TSA has received "a lot of interest from airports" considering the program, according to an administration official familiar with the matter.

Will the airport security experience change?

In theory, travelers shouldn't notice much difference in the security experience at those airports; TSA policies like the 3-1-1 liquids rules would likely still be in place, and the general setup would likely look a lot like what customers see today at checkpoints.

SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY Is this good for travelers?

It depends on who you ask.

The TSA has touted the Gold Plus program as a way for airports to get their hands on the latest and best screening technology, and to be able to set their security checkpoints up to run more efficiently.

Plus, there's this: Because the officers working those checkpoints wouldn't technically be employed by the federal government, airports wouldn't be at risk for massive security backups during a government shutdown.

As federal workers, TSA officers go without pay when Congress can't reach a funding deal. This spring, the monthslong shutdown led to multi-hour delays at some hubs.

A security line reaches outside the terminal last week at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). MEGAN VARNER/GETTY IMAGES Tampa airport leaders pointed to both factors as reasons it joined the new TSA Gold Plus program.

"The change to privatization not only reduces disruption risk," the airport told TPG, "but also allows greater flexibility in exploring new screening checkpoint infrastructure and technology to enhance the customer experience."

Don't some airports already use private security?

Yes.

At least 20 U.S. airports already have security screeners that technically work for third parties — not the TSA — through what the agency calls its Screening Partnership Program

The largest: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Kansas City International Airport (MCI).

Those airports were largely immune from long lines during the recent government shutdown.

The TSA's Gold Plus program would be an expansion of this setup. However, participating airports would have not just security personnel managed by private companies — but the screening equipment, too.

What are the concerns with TSA Gold+?

The union representing TSA workers is raising alarm bells about the new program.

Relying on private security contractors "ignores lessons learned from the Sept. 11 attacks and other airline tragedies," the American Federation of Government Employees said this week.

The TSA was created nearly 25 year ago in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001,terror attacks. The government-run agency standardized airport security across the country, and replaced a patchwork of security systems that existed pre-9/11.

A TSA officer at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) at the dawn of the TSA in April 2002. GERALD MARTINEAU/THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES Some leaders also argue private companies running airport security checkpoints could be motivated to cut costs — and corners — to boost profits.

"Private contractors answer to the bottom line," Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, said last week at a hearing on Capitol Hill.

Private screeners at more US airports?

Critics also argue this new program is part of a broader effort by the White House to expand the use of private airport security screeners. The Trump administration has proposed expanding the TSA's Screening Partnership Program to many of the nation's smaller airports.

Speaking at his confirmation hearing this month, David Cummings, the Trump administration's nominee for TSA administrator said expanding that program to more U.S. airports "will leverage the resources of the private sector to make our nation's security more resilient to political theater."

TSA: We're still in charge

The TSA says it will maintain strict oversight at airports that opt in to private screening, and that all current security standards will remain intact.

The agency would have to certify all technology used by screening partners, and would continue to have some TSA personnel on hand at those airports, a DHS official told TPG.

ETIENNE LAURENT/LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES Should private screeners not meet security standards, the official said, the company could lose its contract with the federal government.

Bottom line

A growing number of airports are planning to partner with private companies for airport security screening.

How many airports will ultimately go in that direction? That remains to be seen — as does the impact on travelers.

But as the TSA nears its 25th anniversary, it's safe to say big changes are in the works for airport security.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.