Members of Congress may have to wait in line at the TSA checkpoint alongside everyone else if they fly with Delta.
Delta Air Lines said on Tuesday that it has temporarily halted special airport services for members of Congress and their staff, including premium offerings such as terminal escorts that expedite security checks and its “red coat” customer service assistance.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” a spokesperson for the airline said.
“Next to safety, Delta’s no. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment,” the spokesperson added.
Priority will be determined by their SkyMiles status rather than their government roles.
While perks like escorts through security have been suspended, Delta’s dedicated Capital Desk for congressional travel remains operational.
The decision comes as the ongoing partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security strains resources and leaves Transportation Security Administration workers unpaid. Many TSA workers got a $0 paycheck in mid-March and have begun calling out sick.
DHS updates showed that as many as 10% of all TSA agents called out on several days over the past week, with absence rates averaging as much as 20% in some airports. Passengers have been left to contend with long lines at TSA checkpoints, resulting in hourslong wait times.
Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta, appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on March 17 and said during the interview that it is “inexcusable” for frontline security agents to be “used as political chips.”
“So, we’re outraged,” Bastian said. “And if there’s a call to action here — and I think over 90% of the American public supports those people getting paid — ask our folks right here in Washington to do their job, get our people paid. They can do it.”
United Airlines told Business Insider that it doesn’t have anything to announce in terms of travel perks for Congress, and Southwest Airlines said that it is joining “the airline industry in urging Congress to fund the TSA and CBP without further delay.”
Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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