Crucial Quote
“TSA has been keeping everyone in the dark about its privatization plans,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. “And it’s little wonder why—this privatization expansion is a major departure from the aviation security system established by Congress in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Changes of this magnitude must not be made in the dark.”
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What Was TSA Gold+?
The short-lived Gold+ program encouraged airports to partner with private contractors to handle their security and screening operations. When the TSA announced the program in May, it billed it as “a new public-private partnership aimed at modernizing aviation security at select airports across the United States” that would let contractors “manage both technology and screening workforce.” Airports could “voluntarily opt in to a tailored screening service unique to each airport’s needs and space configuration” and work with TSA and prospective vendors to “quickly deploy advanced security technology, improve customer experience, and unlock new revenue opportunities—all without lengthy federal budget cycles,” according to web pages that were removed last month from the TSA website. “Private investment” would allow airports to receive staffing and technology “at no additional cost to airports,” while direct private investment allowed TSA Gold+ to “unlock new revenue streams,” empower local decision making and accelerate “cutting edge solutions.”
TSA Screeners Say Agency Used Government Shutdowns As A Wedge
TSA screening officers went without paychecks during the 43-day federal government shutdown last fall and the 76-day Department of Homeland Security partial shutdown in March and April of 2026. During both shutdowns, airport security lines often stretched to hours-long waits as unpaid screeners called out of work. Tampa International Airport said it specifically evaluated the Gold+ program with “the goal of preventing disruptions from future government shutdowns.” The AFGE accused the agency of quietly shopping Gold+ around before announcing the program to the public, citing the TSA’s outreach to vendors in August 2025 and a meeting in March 2026 where TSA officials briefed the Airports Council International conference on Gold+. Neither the TSA nor AFGE responded to Forbes’ queries about the program’s suspension.
What Is The Screening Partnership Program?
The TSA’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP) launched in 2002 as a two-year pilot program and expanded two years later into a permanent program for all eligible commercial airports. When airports join the SPP, private-sector vendors supply and manage the screening personnel with the TSA overseeing operations. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 directed the TSA to approve qualified airport requests unless specific safety or cost criteria are compromised.
U.S. Airports In The TSA’s Screening Partnership Program
The SPP currently includes 20 U.S. airports, eight of which are in Montana, with three in Florida and two in California. The list contains mainly small, regional airports but also includes major airports in Kansas City and San Francisco.
- Atlantic City International Airport, N.J.
- Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport, Calif.
- Dawson Community Airport, Mont.
- Great Falls International Airport, Mont.
- Glacier Park International Airport, Mont.
- Greater Rochester International Airport, N.Y.
- Havre City-County Airport, Mont.
- Kansas City International Airport, Mo.
- L. M. Clayton Airport, Mont.
- Orlando Sanford International Airport, Fla.
- Portsmouth International Airport, N.H.
- Punta Gorda Airport, Fla.
- Roswell International Air Center, N.M.
- San Francisco International Airport, Calif.
- Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, Fla.
- Sidney-Richland Municipal Airport, Mont.
- Sioux Falls Regional Airport, S.D.
- Tupelo Regional Airport, Miss.
- Wokal Field/Glasgow International Airport, Mont.
- Yellowstone Airport, Mont.
Further Reading
TSA Warns Staff ‘Illegitimate’ Absences During Shutdown ‘Will Not Be Tolerated’ In Partisan Email (Forbes)