TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa International Airport has opted into TSA Gold+, a new public-private partnership that will replace federal Transportation Security Administration workers with a private contractor workforce.
Under the program, the TSA will retain regulatory oversight of screening operations at TPA, but day-to-day screening will be conducted by private employees rather than federal Transportation Security Officers.
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Tampa International Airport said the move reflects a commitment to modernization, innovation and operational resilience, and that privatization reduces disruption risks tied to federal government shutdowns while allowing greater flexibility in exploring new screening checkpoint infrastructure and technology.
A TSA spokesperson said the agency is committed to a smooth transition.
"TSA Gold+ presents a new way for TPA to deliver exceptional service to every traveler, while advancing security, efficiency, and the overall airport experience. Throughout this transition, we remain committed to operational stability and supporting our employees. We look forward to working closely with TPA to implement enhancements that will benefit everyone who travels through this airport," the spokesperson said.
But Chris Finlay, president of AFGE Local 556, the union representing TSA workers across central and north Florida, said the decision blindsided workers and raises serious concerns about pay, safety, and accountability.
"They feel betrayed," Finlay said.
Finlay said he has lived through this process before. He previously worked at another Florida airport when it transitioned to a private screening contractor roughly 12 years ago. He said the experience left him deeply skeptical of the promises being made to TPA workers now.
"The stuff I'm hearing is almost exactly the same. The reasoning is a little bit different, but it's deja vu all over again," Finlay said.
Finlay said workers at that airport were initially told their pay would be matched by the private contractor. But he said that promise did not hold.
"They called them in 3 weeks after they had taken over. After everyone had separated from federal service, they called them in one at a time into the office, and said, we can no longer match your old salary. And your pay is being reduced to the contract minimum," Finlay said.
He estimated the pay cut amounted to between $10,000 and $15,000 per year for the average Transportation Security Officer.
"We live paycheck to paycheck," Finlay said. "If they have a car, they've had it for 10 years, and they won't get rid of it because it's paid off, and they're driving to work with a check engine light on."
Finlay said TSOs at TPA made significant sacrifices during recent government shutdowns, continuing to report to work without pay to keep the airport running.
"They had to do things like take a loan out of their TSP, which is their retirement plan, just to make ends meet," Finlay said. "These are the sacrifices they're doing. A lot of these people are veterans. They got out of the service, they wanted to still be able to serve their country in the civil sector. And this is the decision they've made. These people have made an oath to the traveling public and the Constitution. And they're essentially being sold out to a private company for screening equipment."
Finlay also raised concerns about safety accountability under a private model. He said that after that airport transitioned to private screening, a news story reported that a steak knife had made it through a checkpoint. He said a former TSA employee who reported the incident was fired by the private company.
"If it happened once with a private company, who's to say it won't happen more than once?" Finlay said. "The people are like, oh, so if I say anything, I'm gonna get terminated. That doesn't happen with a TSA employee."
He said the experience and institutional knowledge of long-tenured officers is difficult to replace.
"When they talk about your internal library when you're looking at the bags on an X-ray, it takes years to build that library," Finlay said. "Equipment can't do that. TSA's training even says the most important part of this is the human element. And right now, they're gutting the human element."
Finlay said he was at Tampa International Airport this week to meet with officers, attend town halls, and speak with at least one member of the Tampa Aviation Authority board. He said he hopes to persuade board members to reverse course before a contract is finalized.
"My hope is that because there's not a contract in place, there's still time for the Tampa Aviation Authority, the board members, to do what's right," Finlay said.
He also called on the public to get involved.
"If you do not want this to happen, they should reach out to the Tampa Aviation Authority, the board members. Send them emails, make phone calls. Let them know that this is unacceptable," Finlay said.
Finlay said he personally stopped flying out of that airport after it went private and said he would not fly out of Tampa if the transition moves forward.
"This reeks of somebody trying to make a lot of money off of the safety of the traveling public," Finlay said.
The earliest the transition could take effect is the end of May 2027.
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