Why some US airports are dodging TSA shutdown chaos while others grind to a halt

Long information lines and staffing shortages person disrupted question astatine large US airports during the partial authorities shutdown — but a tiny radical of hubs is mostly avoiding the chaos due to the fact that they trust connected backstage screening contractors alternatively of federally employed TSA officers.

At slightest 20 airports crossed the state enactment successful the Transportation Security Administration's Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which was founded successful 2004 and allows backstage companies to behaviour information screening nether TSA oversight, Business Insider reported this week. 

Travelers whitethorn not adjacent announcement the difference, since backstage screeners are held to the aforesaid national standards arsenic TSA officers.

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"With backstage screening, employees inactive person to beryllium trained and travel the aforesaid national information standards arsenic TSA," Daniel Bubb, a erstwhile hose aviator and commercialized aviation adept astatine the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital.

While galore airports look agelong lines and staffing shortages, others utilizing backstage screening programs person remained little affected. ( Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

One cardinal quality is that airports utilizing backstage contractors person reported less disruptions tied to the shutdown. Because backstage screeners are paid done pre-funded national contracts, they are not impacted successful the aforesaid mode arsenic TSA workers.

SPP hubs see San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Kansas City International Airport (MCI), arsenic good arsenic smaller determination airports specified arsenic Orlando Sanford International Airport successful Florida and aggregate locations crossed Montana.

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"Our screeners person continued to get paid passim this authorities shutdown," Doug Yakel, a spokesperson for SFO, told Fox News Digital, noting it has helped support a "stable workforce" portion different airports look staffing shortages.

Differences betwixt TSA staffing and backstage screening models person go much disposable during caller authorities shutdowns. (Fox 26 Houston)

The ongoing disruptions travel arsenic the TSA reports nationalist call-out rates of much than 10%, with implicit 360 officers having discontinue during the shutdown tied to a backing standoff implicit the Department of Homeland Security, Fox News Digital reported this week.

At Kansas City International Airport, backstage contractor VMD Corp. said operations stay "business arsenic usual" contempt the shutdown, according to Business Insider. Another TSA-approved contractor, BOS Security, has said backstage screening tin beryllium much efficient, cost-effective and person little turnover than national staffing.

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The usage of backstage screening remains comparatively limited, but Bubb said the exemplary is gaining relevance arsenic this marks the 2nd partial authorities shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security successful astir 5 months.

Private airdrome screeners proceed to person wage during the shutdown, portion TSA officers are moving without pay. (Valerie Plesch/Getty Images)

"In immoderate ways, airports are experimenting with backstage screening programs to spot what works best," helium said, adding, "I wouldn't beryllium amazed if much airports determination toward backstage screening to debar these kinds of situations."

Critics, including labour groups, however, reason that privatization could undermine information and accountability.

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"Security is an inherently authorities function," erstwhile TSA Administrator John Pistole said successful a May 2025 blog station from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents national workers, including TSA officers.

Some airports are seeing smoother operations during the shutdown owed to the usage of privately contracted information screeners. (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The AFGE besides argues that backstage screening companies are conscionable successful the concern to marque money. "Their main interest is profit, not the information of the flying nationalist oregon the well-being of workers, some of which are integrally linked," the radical said successful its post.

Beyond the argumentation debate, Bubb highlighted the interaction connected frontline workers.

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"Travelers should retrieve that TSA agents are fundamentally moving without wage during a shutdown," helium said.

He urged passengers to enactment diligent and called connected Congress to scope astatine slightest a impermanent solution.

Travelers are being urged to stay diligent arsenic TSA call-outs and staffing shortages proceed during the shutdown. (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"If everybody tin conscionable enactment together, beryllium diligent and beryllium benignant to each other, this volition spell better," helium added.

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In the meantime, Elon Musk adjacent offered to wage TSA workers' salaries during the backing impasse, though it remains unclear whether that would beryllium legally possible.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the AFGE for comment.

Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella and Michael Dorgan contributed reporting.