TSA Scraps Gold+ Program But Pushes Private Airport

New TSA Administrator David Cummins has abandoned the agency's controversial Gold+ public-private partnership program for airport security. The former Serco vice president, however, plans to accelerate the privatization of passenger screening nationwide through an existing program.

Cummins announced the shift as part of a new strategic vision called Horizon 25. He stated that the Screening Partnership Program (SPP) is the best way to use the private sector for a safer and more efficient aviation system. The TSA has allowed airports to opt into the SPP for years, but currently only 20 to 22 airports use it, including San Francisco International and Kansas City International.

The Rise and Fall of Gold+

The Gold+ program was a separate, secretive initiative developed by the previous administration. It only became public when a confidential briefing paper was found at Orlando International Airport. The American Federation of Government Employees union sued the Department of Homeland Security for access to Gold+ files, claiming officials stonewalled a Freedom of Information Act request.

Tampa International Airport's decision to pull out of Gold+ may have contributed to the program's cancellation. Whether shutting down Gold+ is also an attempt to end the AFGE's lawsuit remains unclear.

Union Opposition and Safety Concerns

The Association of Flight Attendants has strongly criticized the push for privatized screening. AFA President Sara Nelson warned it would compromise passenger safety and introduce vulnerabilities. "We vividly remember the dangerous reality of the pre-9/11 aviation security landscape, which relied on a fractured patchwork of private security contractors," Nelson commented. She argued that pre-9/11 standards varied wildly, driven by corporate cost-cutting rather than national security.

Despite this opposition, the move toward private screening continues. The Atlanta City Council recently approved a feasibility study into switching Hartsfield-Jackson International, the world's busiest airport, from TSA to an SPP contractor.

The International Context

Internationally, private security screening at airports is common. It is the standard model across Europe, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In these systems, private companies employ the officers and pay for equipment but must follow rigorously enforced standards set by national agencies. There is close liaison between contractors and government authorities.

In many countries with strong labor rules, these private security guards are unionized and can stage work stoppages, similar to TSA officers through the AFGE. The United States is somewhat of an outlier by running airport security at the federal level, with no overwhelming evidence proving it is more secure than a privatized model.

The Horizon 25 strategy signals a definitive shift in approach under Cummins's leadership. The focus is now squarely on expanding the long-standing Screening Partnership Program rather than the newer Gold+ framework.