Washington ? With a deadline looming, the government has yet to come up with guidelines for commercial airports that want to replace federal baggage and passenger screeners with privately employed workers.

Officials at some of the nation’s 445 airports say they’re frustrated with the 2-year-old government work force. They say federal rules don’t allow the flexibility to reassign workers to handle surges in air travel, which sometimes result in long waits for passengers at security checkpoints.

But those considering hiring private companies say they can’t make a decision because they lack crucial information.

The application period begins Nov. 19 and will likely end three weeks later, but the Transportation Security Administration hasn’t announced qualified private security companies. Nor has it established criteria for airports to participate in the program.

The agency hasn’t even prepared a final application for airports to fill out.

George Doughty, executive director of Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pa., said he needed to know who would be liable for security breaches or terrorist attacks, and how the contracts with private companies would be managed.

“The devil’s in the details,” Doughty said.

Bob Parker, spokesman for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, said more specifics were needed before a decision can be made.

TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter said the agency had set up an e-mail address so airports could submit specific questions. Until then, she said, “We don’t have a specific date on final guidance at this time as we continue to work a few issues — including liability.”

Congress created the TSA to take over airport screening after the 9-11 attacks drew attention to shortcomings with the privately employed workers. Undercover agents routinely slipped fake weapons, knives and explosives past the poorly trained, poorly paid screeners. Morale was low and turnover high.

Now, there are about 47,000 government workers at 440 airports checking passengers and bags for bombs and weapons. But the law that turned screening over to the TSA also allows airports to go back to private screeners — under TSA supervision — beginning Nov. 19.

Some airport directors think security should remain a federal responsibility because private companies will put profit before the public interest.