ongoing government shutdown that has severely affected operations of airports across the United States, Delta Air Lines has announced that it will be suspending special airport services typically enjoyed by members of Congress.
The ongoing government shutdown has affected funding for parts of the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, TSA workers have been working without pay, hitting their third period without any compensation.
Delta Air Lines Suspends Congress' Airport Benefits
In a statement released to NBC News, Delta Air Lines said that "Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta."
"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," it added.
Among the special airport services that members of Congress enjoy are courtesy TSA escorts, dedicated reservation desks, and expedited screening at TSA checkpoints.
The suspension of such privileges means that members of Congress will be just like any other traveler and the perks that they receive will be based on their SkyMiles loyalty status.
Senate Passes Bill on Special Treatment at Airports
TravelPulse reiterates in its report that the suspension by Delta is only temporary. However, such privileges may come into a halt permanently if a certain bill becomes a law.
According to the report, the Senate has passed a bill that permanently stops special treatment enjoyed by members of Congress at airports.
The bill is now on its way to the House for approval.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
