SANFORD, Fla. – As a federal government shutdown affects airport security operations across the country, Florida’s governor is voicing support for using private security companies instead of federal Transportation Security Administration agents.
One Central Florida airport has already been using that model for years.
At Orlando Sanford International Airport, passengers said they experienced short wait times Thursday, even as longer lines have been reported at other airports during the shutdown.
“I’m very excited that I don’t have a long line to wait,” said traveler Connie Goodnite, who drove from The Villages for her flight.
Goodnite said she checked ahead of time after hearing about potential delays nationwide.
“I had spoken with a friend of mine who had flown out of this airport earlier and she said no problems,” she said.
Other passengers echoed similar experiences, noting that security lines moved quickly despite travel disruptions elsewhere.
Airport officials say that’s because the security screeners there are not federal employees.
George Speake, the airport’s deputy CEO, said wait times at the airport have averaged about six minutes. He said the airport has participated for more than a decade in the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, which allows private contractors to handle security screening under federal oversight.
“The training they go through and what they do on a daily basis is identical to what federal screeners do,” Speake said.
Under the program, private screeners are employed by a third-party contractor, while TSA managers remain on site to oversee operations and ensure compliance with federal standards.
“The folks that actually do the screening are not TSA employees,” Speake said. “They work for that vendor. They go through the exact same training. There is really no difference other than the uniform.”
Speake also said the model can reduce costs while maintaining the same level of security.
“You get the same product at a cheaper price, and it’s a contract, so these folks keep getting paid,” he said.
Over the weekend, the governor posted on social media that he would like to see more Florida airports adopt similar systems, replacing federal screeners with private contractors while keeping TSA oversight in place.
Is there evidence that creating TSA has made air travel safer over the past 25 years?
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) March 21, 2026
If not, then why not let the airlines and airports handle it?
Why give politicians the power to play games with the travel of our people? https://t.co/mKvzqjKBof
In addition to Sanford, airports in Sarasota and Punta Gorda also participate in the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program.