Passengers across the country dealt with delays and struggles getting through airport security while Transportation Safety Administration workers went unpaid during the partial government shutdown.
While more TSA workers opted not to work, that has created logjams for the millions of passengers as the workers call out sick or walking off the job.
That, however, has not been the case at Tampa International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
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Wait times at TPA checkpoints have averaged less than 15 minutes, and are even less at SRQ — at around five minutes.
One reason is that Tampa serves many more passengers — 25 million a year compared to 4 ½ at Sarasota.
But there's another reason.
According to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport president and CEO Paul Hoback, SRQ part of the TSA Screening Partnership Program. Meaning it's one of 20 airports across the country that uses private companies to screen passengers at checkpoints, rather than the TSA.
We joined that program back in 2014, so we've been in it a little bit more than 11 years now, and frankly, we have seen really great results in that," Hoback told "Florida Matters Live & Local. "What this SPP program is is basically we go out and we work with our partners at the TSA, and we hire private screeners and a screening contractor to do the work here, instead of the actual TSA agents on the front lines.
"The TSA still oversees this program. All of our agents here, as part of that private screening, are still trained by the TSA, receive all the same training that a normal federal agent would have on the front lines. But there's some differences in that as well, and you know, it has seemed to be the right program for us — not just during this government shutdown, but also during normal operations.
"And it is right for us," Hoback said. "I'm not saying it's right for every airport. Every airport is different and has different experiences, but it is certainly proven to be the right thing for us."
Peak season for traveling
The partial government shutdown comes at a crucial time — especially in Florida, where visitors converge on the state during spring break.
"It's an exciting time out there right now," Hoback said. "We're seeing a packed house, and it's very exciting to see a lot of people still traveling despite many of the problems that they have seen in the travel industry. Just last Saturday (March 20) was our busiest day of the year, and we expect to see that in another day similar to that this coming Saturday (March 27).
"... with a private contractor, you get you're a lot more nimble. You can bring on more part-time help. You can bring on more seasonal help. And I will tell you from the peaks and valleys that — from a travel perspective — that an airport like SRQ sees, that is really helpful to us."
"So it's an exciting time down here in the Sarasota-Bradenton area, a lot of people want to come down here — whether it's spring break or whether they were down here to see one of the many spring training major-league baseball teams that have been playing in this area. But it's really an exciting time down here in Florida."
The fact that SRQ is much smaller than other airports — including TPA as well as Orlando and Miami — means travelers can make it through there quicker.
The private screeners, Hoback said, gives it an added advantage.
"We're only going to be built to handle the number of passengers that we get during peak travel times," Hoback said. "So we're going to have a lot fewer security checkpoint lanes than a larger airport. We're going to have a lot fewer staff than a larger airport. So I would assume that most of us are going to be appropriately staffed to handle those peak travel times."
Why go with private screeners?
Hoback said the airport's board of commissioners voted to partner with Aviation Security Management (ASM) 12 years ago as a way to "get a little more flexible" and have "more control."
"Faster hiring processes, faster onboarding processes, a more flexible staff," Hoback said. "So like, with the TSA, you often see full-time staff, and not as much part-time or seasonal, because the hiring process can take quite a long time with the TSA.
"But with a private contractor, you get you're a lot more nimble. You can bring on more part-time help. You can bring on more seasonal help. And I will tell you from the peaks and valleys that — from a travel perspective — that an airport like SRQ sees, that is really helpful to us."
That, Hoback said, has enabled SRQ to add staff more easily during busy travel times — like it's experiencing now during spring break.
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And partnering with ASM, he said, has been a huge boost — especially from a customer service perspective.
"They have been great from a leadership perspective," Hoback said. "They've been great from a training, a local hiring, a customer service perspective, because you're able to control a little bit more. It really has proven to be the right move for SRQ, and so we're really proud of the system that we have in place here."
It also eliminates the need for ICE agents to assist in airport security, as is happening at other airports across the country.
"We're very fortunate in that we don't need any help right now because all of our contracted services are being paid in full, we're fully staffed, all of our checkpoints are fully operational. So there's no need for that at SRQ," Hoback said.
Braced for future growth
While SRQ is much smaller than TPA and other airports across the state, Hoback said it's set to expand even further.
The current 4 ½ million passengers it services yearly is up from the 1.3 million from 2018. It also has 11 airlines flying in and out of the airport; eight years ago, that number was only six.
Hoback said the growth of the greater Tampa Bay region means the airport will likely have to keep up and meet the demand for air travel.
He said the airport recently added a new concourse, and over the next 3-5 years, it will be updating "critical infrastructure." That includes including a new parking garage, rental car center, upgraded baggage system, and separate curbsides.
The growing pains, he said, will be well worth it.
"And again, this is not this is not a problem," Hoback said. "This is opportunities, because we've been so fortunate to have that growth, and we're going to make sure that we're addressing that and we're ready for that continued growth."
