The review was commissioned in the spring after a 76-day partial government shutdown triggered mass call-outs, long lines and major delays for travelers passing through security at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The study was conducted by a third-party privatization consulting firm at the request of the Atlanta City Council.

Airport officials told council members that while 20 airports nationwide use private companies for screening under the Transportation Security Administration's Screening Partnership Program, Atlanta handles more travelers through security each year than all of those airports combined.

"There is no difference" in cost, said one official involved in the review, adding that private screening contractors would not deliver meaningful savings and that TSA employees remain the best-trained and most experienced workforce for the job.

The study also estimated that transitioning to a privatized model would put roughly 1,300 Atlanta TSA employees at risk of losing their jobs. Union representatives warned that workers cannot simply move to another airport, noting that many have families and deep roots in the local workforce.

"You can't just move from one airport to the next," said a union representative, describing the disruption privatization would cause for employees who have built their careers at the Atlanta hub.

Local leaders welcomed the findings. Aaron Barker, president of the local TSA union representing about 1,000 employees in Atlanta, said workers are "happy" with the results and relieved that their jobs are no longer in question.

"We hope the study will ease concerns about employees who have their heads hanging," Barker said, adding that the union's members are dedicated to their work and that privatization would have meant losing major benefits and pay.

Barker also pointed to the broader economic role the airport plays for working-class families across the region, saying many jobs there have been a lifeline for households during difficult times.

"Other companies don't have the benefits and protections we have," he said. "We don't have the higher health-care costs that typically come with workplace changes."

City Council member Byron Amos, who chairs the council's transportation committee, said the study supports the decision to keep screening in-house. He argued that the federal government is better positioned to handle security than private operators.

"Hopefully, travelers will understand what is at stake and that people's needs are being taken seriously," Amos said. "Congress should not be hurting people by doing this."

The debate over privatization unfolded against the backdrop of the shutdown, which began in February and lasted 76 days. During that period, TSA officers worked without pay, and many called out sick or stayed home as financial pressures mounted. Airport officials said the staffing crisis produced some of the worst security lines in recent memory.

Tom Nissalke, an assistant general manager at the airport, said the shutdown exposed how fragile the system becomes when federal employees are forced to work without pay. He noted that some workers had to choose between reporting to their posts and supporting their families.

"During the shutdown, employees who weren't being paid still had to find a way to get to work," Nissalke said. "That's not sustainable."

The decision keeps security screening under TSA's federal workforce at an airport that serves as a critical economic engine for metro Atlanta and the Southeast. Airport officials said the review confirmed that the current model remains the most reliable and cost-effective option for a facility of Hartsfield-Jackson's scale.

For the thousands of TSA officers who kept checkpoints running through the shutdown, the outcome represents a measure of stability after months of uncertainty. Union leaders said they hope the findings will also serve as a warning to federal policymakers about the consequences of future shutdowns.

"You can't warn people about issues and then not act," Barker said. "We're happy with the findings, and we hope this sends a message."