Delta Air Lines is suspending special services for members of Congress, citing the impact of a partial government shutdown that has wreaked havoc on U.S. air travel.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” the Atlanta-based U.S. air carrier said in a statement.
“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,.”
Delta, like other U.S. airlines, typically provides special services for lawmakers who fly frequently back and forth from Washington and oversee the nation’s air travel system.
Members of Congress will not get airport escorts or VIP treatment for other services like seat upgrades or rebooking, the airline said, though lawmakers will still have access to a special phone line for reservations.
Travelers have endured hours-long waits at security screening checkpoints in recent days as resignations and absentee rates have risen among Transportation Security Administration employees.
More than 450 TSA officers have quit since the start of the partial government shutdown and nearly 11% of TSA officers nationally, or more than 3,200, did not show up for work Monday, DHS said.
They’ve gone without pay since mid-February, when Congress allowed funding for the Department of Homeland Security to expire due to a dispute over immigration enforcement.
President Donald Trump has deployed immigration agents to more than a dozen airports to help with crowd control, over the objections of TSA workers who say they are not properly trained for the job.
But airports across the United States continue to warn passengers about extended wait times to get through security despite the Trump administration sending in federal officers to help.
Multiple airports, including major hubs in Georgia and Texas, said Tuesday that it could take four hours or longer to be screened by TSA amid the spring break travel surge.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC last week that it was time to pay TSA workers.
“It’s inexcusable,” Bastian said, noting that TSA officers were forced to miss paychecks last fall as well.
“It’s ridiculous to see them being used as political chits. We’re outraged.”
