Why some US airports avoid the chaos of TSA closures while others grind to a halt
Long security lines and staff shortages have disrupted travel at major US airports during the partial government shutdown — but a small group of hubs largely avoid chaos because they rely on private contractors instead of government-employed TSA officers.
At least 20 airports across the country participate in the Transportation Security Administration’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which was established in 2004 and allows private companies to perform security checks under the supervision of the TSA, Business Insider reported this week.
Travelers may not even notice the difference, as private screens are held to the same federal standards as TSA officials.
“With private screening, the workers still have to be trained and follow the same federal security standards as the TSA,” Daniel Bubb, a former pilot and aviation expert at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital.
One important difference is that airports using private contractors reported fewer disruptions associated with the closure.
Because private screeners are paid for through previously funded government contracts, they are not affected in the same way as TSA employees.
SPP’s hubs include San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Kansas City International Airport (MCI), as well as smaller regional airports such as Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida and many locations throughout Montana.
“Our inspectors have continued to lead during the government shutdown,” Doug Yakel, a spokesman for the SFO, told Fox News Digital, noting that it helped maintain a “stable workforce” while other airports faced staffing shortages.
The ongoing disruption comes as the TSA reports national recall rates of more than 10%, and more than 360 officers have been out of a job during a shutdown that coincides with a disagreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Fox News Digital reported this week.
At the Kansas City International Airport, independent contractor VMD Corp. said operations remain “business as usual” despite the shutdown, according to Business Insider.
Another TSA-approved contractor, BOS Security, said private screening can be more efficient, less expensive and less profitable than federal employees.
The use of private testing remains limited, but Bubb said the model is starting to work as this marks the second partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security in about five months.
“In some ways, airports are experimenting with private inspection programs to see what works best,” he said, adding, “I wouldn’t be surprised if more airports turn to private inspections to avoid these situations.”
Critics, including labor groups, however, argue that privatization could undermine security and accountability.
“Security is inherently a government job,” former TSA Administrator John Pistole said in a May 2025 blog post from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents government employees, including TSA officials.
AFGE also says private companies are in business to make money. “Their primary concern is profit, not the safety of the flying public or the well-being of the crew, both of which are inextricably linked,” the group said in its post.
Beyond the policy debate, Bubb highlighted the impact on frontline workers.
“Travelers should remember that TSA operates without payment during the closure,” he said.
He urged passengers to remain patient and asked Congress to reach at least a temporary solution.
“If everyone can work together, be patient and kind to each other, this will be better,” he added.
In the meantime, Elon Musk has even offered to pay the salaries of TSA workers during the funding dispute, although it’s not clear if that will happen legally.
Fox News Digital has reached out to AFGE for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley J. DiMella and Michael Dorgan contributed reporting.
