Overview
- Tampa International Airport has formally opted into the voluntary TSA Gold+ program, joining Des Moines as the first reported airports to enroll.
- Under Gold+, private firms would employ transportation security officers and maintain screening equipment while the TSA keeps regulatory control and checkpoint rules.
- A TSA town hall briefed staff that the targeted transition date is May 31, 2027, and that local TSOs will be offered a right of first refusal for contractor jobs.
- The American Federation of Government Employees strongly opposes the move, saying it risks jobs, lower pay and loss of collective bargaining for TSA officers.
- Supporters say Gold+ boosts resilience to funding lapses and lets airports modernize checkpoints, but key details on vendor selection, worker pay and whether the program will expand under the administration’s budget remain unresolved.