Atlanta City Council is inching toward a formal study on whether to hand passenger screening at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to private contractors under the federal Transportation Security Administration's Screening Partnership Program. The proposal, sponsored by Councilmember Byron Amos, would direct the city's Department of Aviation to bring in an independent firm to test the feasibility of a private-screening setup. The idea surfaced after the airport saw multi-hour security lines during a partial federal funding lapse this spring.
What the Council Wants to Study
According to Atlanta City Council, the resolution calls for "a formal feasibility study" using an independent third-party consultant to evaluate converting TSA security screening at Hartsfield-Jackson to a private model under the Screening Partnership Program. The measure was introduced at the council's April 20 session and remains on the list of items still under consideration this month.
Amos Sells It as a Backup Plan
Councilmember Byron Amos told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he views the study as a fact-finding mission aimed at avoiding a repeat of the four- to five-hour waits travelers endured in March. "The world moves through Atlanta, and we cannot continuously be held captive by our federal government or by TSA," he said. Airport officials, for their part, have stressed that they "have not taken any steps to pursue privatization" and say they continue to work closely with TSA.
How the Screening Partnership Program Would Work
The Screening Partnership Program allows airports to hire private companies to run checkpoint screening while the Transportation Security Administration keeps control of oversight, certification and procedures. Airports apply through their local Federal Security Director and undergo a review under TSA rules. The setup is designed so private screeners still follow the same federal standards, and the application process itself would be folded into any feasibility review in Atlanta, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Unions Raise Red Flags on Safety
Union leaders and airport workers are warning that privatizing screening could create new headaches around training, liability and accountability. George Borek, a union steward representing local TSA officers, told WSB-TV that privatization "becomes a greater problem" than the issues it is supposed to fix. National union leaders have instead pressed lawmakers to lock in more stable funding for TSA employees.
What a Study Would Actually Look At
Amos has said the review would dig into cost, staffing and logistics for an operation the size of ATL, along with how any transition for workers might unfold. He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the goal is to "figure out how to fund this thing and where to get the people." Any real change would require multiple layers of approval, contract awards and continued TSA oversight, so a study is only the opening move in what would be a lengthy process.
What Travelers Should Expect Now
The resolution introduced at the April 20 council meeting will head through committee review and public hearings before any vote, according to Atlanta City Council. Hartsfield-Jackson officials say no operational changes are on the immediate horizon, so the security checkpoints travelers know are the ones they will see for now. If the city ultimately chooses to pursue the Screening Partnership Program, that path would still need federal approvals and contract transitions that could take months to put in place.
