Major airline suspends special perks for Congress members amid TSA chaos

• Delta Air Lines is temporarily suspending special services for members of Congress, citing resource strain from the ongoing partial government shutdown.
• The suspended services include airport escorts and VIP treatment for seat upgrades or rebooking, though lawmakers will retain access to a special reservation phone line.
• The airline stated that maintaining its priority of caring for staff and customers has become increasingly difficult due to the current environment.
• The government shutdown has led to significant disruptions in U.S. air travel, including hours-long security wait times, with over 450 TSA officers quitting and nearly 11% nationally not reporting for duty due to unpaid wages.
• Delta CEO Ed Bastian called the situation "inexcusable" and "ridiculous," criticizing the use of TSA workers as "political chits."

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Delta axes special treatment for Congress members over ‘inexcusable’ refusal to fund TSA