Overview
- Tampa International Airport said on Monday that it has opted into TSA Gold+, a voluntary public‑private program that will transfer hiring and checkpoint equipment management to contractors while the agency keeps regulatory authority.
- TSA has told staff the transition at Tampa is targeted for May 31, 2027, and current transportation security officers will be offered a right of first refusal for contractor jobs or other federal options.
- The American Federation of Government Employees has publicly objected, saying privatization risks lower pay, loss of federal benefits and reduced collective bargaining for workers and raises security and oversight concerns.
- Des Moines International Airport is exploring participation and Charleston has been named by the agency as a planned Gold+ site, with officials saying the program could speed access to newer screening machines and reduce staffing gaps during shutdowns.
- Gold+ expands the existing Screening Partnership Program by letting contractors run screening technology as well as staffing, a move the White House budget and Project 2025 have pushed toward wider privatization and that could reshape how U.S. checkpoints are managed after 9/11 federalization.