Delta pulls VIP travel perks for Congress amid government shutdown
Written by Site Hub on March 31, 2026
Source: BET News Published: March 25, 2026
Delta Air Lines announced it is temporarily suspending specialty services for members of Congress flying Delta, citing the impact of the ongoing partial government shutdown on the airline’s resources. The suspended perks include airport escorts, red coat services, and other VIP treatment that had been available to lawmakers. Members of Congress will now be treated like any other passenger based on their SkyMiles status. A special reservation phone line for lawmakers will remain open. Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC he is “outraged” by the shutdown, calling it “inexcusable” that TSA agents are working without pay and “ridiculous to see them being used as political chips.” The move came as TSA staffing shortages caused security wait times of up to four hours at major airports, with over 500 TSA officers quitting since the Department of Homeland Security shutdown began in mid-February. The announcement followed the deployment of ICE agents to 14 airports to assist with crowd management.
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