Private Security Screening at 20 U.S. Airports Avoids Shutdown Disruptions At 20 U.S. airports, security screening is managed by private companies rather than the Transportation Security Administration, and these facilities have not experienced long wait times despite the ongoing government shutdown. Airports such as San Francisco International, Kansas City International, Orlando Sanford International, and 17 smaller airports participate in TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, which contracts private firms to operate checkpoints. Unlike TSA-operated airports, which have faced staffing shortages due to the partial government shutdown, these private-run checkpoints remain unaffected. Sheldon Jacobson, a computer science professor who analyzes aviation security data, noted that the 20 airports “are completely oblivious to the government shutdown.” VMD Corp., which manages checkpoints at Kansas City and Orlando Sanford International, highlighted on social media that wait times at its facilities are under three minutes. In contrast, major airports like Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International have seen wait times exceed two hours this week. Over a third of TSA employees at these airports have not reported for duty, exacerbating delays. TSA workers, who are government employees, have not received pay for more than a month as Congress remains deadlocked over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, particularly regarding immigration reform. Private security screeners, however, continue to work without interruption.#american_federation_of_government_employees #sheldon_jacobson #vmd_corp #nat_carmack #k2_security_screening_group
