Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Explores Replacing TSA Agents with Private Security Screeners

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 16, 2026

Atlanta City Council has voted to commission a feasibility study into replacing TSA-employed screeners at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport — the world's busiest hub — with private contractors under the TSA's Screening Partnership Program. The push follows severe staffing disruptions during a government shutdown, when up to 36% of TSA screeners failed to report, creating hours-long security queues. If approved, Atlanta would become by far the largest U.S. airport to privatize security screening, a move that could signal growing demand for contract security labor at major aviation facilities. No final decision has been made pending the study's findings.