Kansas City International Airport uses private security contractors

Kansas City International Airport screens passengers with private security staff from VMD Corp rather than TSA officers. The contractors perform ID checks and luggage screening while a TSA team audits their work to ensure compliance with federal procedures.

The arrangement is part of the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which lets airports opt for private security instead of federal staff. About 20 U.S. airports currently use private firms, out of roughly 440 federalized airports. The Trump administration is promoting an expanded version called TSA Gold+ to increase private involvement, citing potential cost savings of tens of millions of dollars. Labor unions warn that the shift could undermine federal workers’ wages and job security.

GAO director Tina Won Sherman notes that the SPP has plateaued and that broader adoption would represent a significant policy change for aviation security in the United States.