US airports experienced longer security wait times when Transportation Security Administration officers missed paychecks during the government shutdown in March.
Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Who can forget the airport chaos that ensued during the partial government shutdown in March? Hourslong waits. Floating balloons to indicate checkpoint locations in the swelling crowds. Security lines snaking out into parking garages.Meanwhile, the 20 airports that employ private contract screeners instead of federal workers through the Transportation Security Administration's Screening Partnership Program (SPP) largely maintained normal wait times.As congressional budget battles have led to government shutdowns and TSA staffing shortages, a new program called TSA Gold+ seeks to expand the use of private contractors for airport security screening while maintaining direct oversight from the government agency.TSA Gold+, a new "public-private partnership," aims to expand the Screening Partnership Program, according to TSA. Private contractors would manage both screening personnel and checkpoint technology, with TSA oversight.A TSA spokesperson told Business Insider that TSA Gold+ "presents a new way for airports to deliver exceptional service to every traveler, while advancing security, efficiency, and the overall airport experience."
