Tampa International Airport to privatize TSA

Travelers flying through Tampa International Airport next year will pass through security checkpoints staffed by a private contractor.

Why it matters: The change comes after a government shutdown snarled airports nationwide earlier this year and is part of President Trump's broader push to privatize airport security screening and shrink the Transportation Security Administration.

Driving the news: Tampa International is among the first airports in the country to opt in to the TSA's new Gold+ program.

• Under the program, a private contractor manages passenger screening under TSA oversight.
• Tampa International hopes to complete the transition by May 2027, a timeline that depends on the federal government identifying eligible private contractors.

Friction point: The change affects hundreds of TSA employees at the airport, giving them the option to work with the private company, relocate to another airport or, if eligible, retire.

• Chris Finlay, president of the local TSA union, told WFLA that moving into the private sector could result in the loss of benefits and lower salaries. "The morale is in the trashcan," he said.
• The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA employees nationwide, says expanding the privatization of airport security screening ignores lessons learned after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The other side: Tampa International said in a statement that the Gold+ program reflects its commitment to "modernization," giving the airport more latitude to explore "new screening checkpoint infrastructure and technology."

Between the lines: Private airport screening isn't new. The Gold+ program builds upon TSA's existing Screening Partnership Program, which operates at 20 airports across the U.S.

• Sarasota Bradenton International Airport has operated under that program for more than a decade, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Orlando Sanford International is also in the program.
• Neither airport encountered security screening delays during this year's government shutdown.