Three U.S. Airports Adopt TSA Gold+ Screening Program as Union Warns for 47,000 Agents
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 22
Three U.S. Airports Adopt TSA Gold+ Screening Program as Union Warns for 47,000 Agents
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 22
Summary
Tampa, Des Moines and Charleston became the first U.S. airports to join TSA’s new Gold+ program, shifting checkpoint screening from federal officers to private contractors.
Airport officials said shutdown-driven disruptions — including unpaid TSA staff and long security lines — pushed them to seek a model they believe would reduce service risks and speed access to new screening technology.
Gold+ expands on an existing privatized screening system already used at 20 airports, including San Francisco, and TSA first outlined the new initiative to staff in May.
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 47,000 TSA workers, called the move a major post-9/11 policy shift and said broader privatization could weaken public safety.