HOUSTON – Members of Congress who typically get special accommodations at airports won’t get that same service on one major airline during the ongoing TSA partial government shutdown.
Delta Air Lines says it is temporarily suspending special airport services for members of Congress.
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The reason? Operational strain during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
RELATED STORY: Senate passes bill to end airport screening perks for Congress as TSA lines surge nationwide
In a statement, the airline said the move comes as staffing and resource challenges continue to affect travel nationwide.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” a company spokesperson wrote to KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding. “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.”
Under the change, lawmakers will no longer receive certain airport assistance or expedited services that had previously been available to them while flying Delta.
Instead, members of Congress will now be treated like any other passenger based on their SkyMiles loyalty status, according to the airline.
That means access to perks such as priority services will depend on frequent flyer status, not elected office.
The decision comes as airport operations across the country are under pressure due to the partial government shutdown, which has affected staffing at the Transportation Security Administration.
In Houston, wait times at George Bush Intercontinental Airport recently stretched for more than four hours as fewer TSA agents reported to work. Houston’s airports have repeatedly topped the list of airports with the highest daily callouts of TSA agents.
At the same time, lawmakers have faced increased scrutiny over long-standing airport advantages, including access to less crowded screening areas and expedited processing in some cases.
The airline’s move follows action in Washington to formally eliminate those types of advantages.
The U.S. Senate recently passed legislation authored by John Cornyn that would prohibit preferential TSA screening access for members of Congress and require them to go through the same security process as the general public.
The bill would also bar the use of federal funds to provide expedited access based on a lawmaker’s position.
While Delta’s policy applies specifically to services provided by the airline, not TSA procedures, it effectively removes another layer of convenience that lawmakers have historically relied on when traveling.
The decision from Delta is temporary. The airline has not said when the specialty services could be restored.