Delta reportedly shut down special perks for members of Congress during the partial government shutdown that has snarled security lines as TSA screeners, working for deferred pay, don’t show up to work in record numbers.
Atlanta airport this morning. Security line out the door @ 5:49 AM.
A major TSA staffing shortage tied to the ongoing government shutdown is driving longer wait times. TSA agents are currently working without pay, and it’s clearly taking a toll. Many agents are not showing up… pic.twitter.com/PjLsWLm9q5
— ATLSCOOP (@ATL_SCOOP) March 25, 2026
It’s actually a little bit more limited than that – Delta has suspended only VIP airport escorts, Red Coat handling, and help with upgrades or rebooking priority. The dedicated “Delta Desk” for lawmakers still exists and still handles government travel bookings, last-minute changes, and same-day multi-flight holds tied to congressional voting schedules.
- Delta is virtue signaling during the partial government shutdown
- But making life harder for politicians is important
- They need to ‘eat their own dog food’ on this
- But the extent of special perks they receive isn’t widely understood, and many of those continue
Airlines have strong incentives to cultivate Congress because they are among the most heavily regulated businesses in the country, and among the most subsidized – taxpayers pick up costs for airports, air traffic control, and offer subsidies to airlines to fly specific routes. There are slot and perimeter rules, consumer regulation, and airports and security are owned and provided directly by government. which also sets labor rules and tax policy. The number of flight attendants and pilots on board are set by the government. The movements of each plane from pushback to arrival are dictated by governmnet. And every inch of the interior of the aircraft is signed off on by government.
And so it’s no surprise to see:
- Dedicated congressional reservation desks. Airlines run special Hill reservations desks to book government trips and handle short notice changes. Delta still offers this.
Government contract fares with unusual flexibility. That part isn’t a congressional freebie. The government is a huge buyer of travel. GSA’s City Pair Program gives official travelers fully refundable tickets, no advance purchase requirement, no change or cancellation fees, one-way pricing, and last-seat availability.
- Multiple same-day reservations. Airlines let members of Congress make multiple reservations on the same day to ensure space whenever they might want or be able to travel. Don’t know when Congress will get out of session? No problem, book space on all the flights. This is special treatment not afforded to general travelers or to government travelers but there’s specific House ethics guidance that says this is fine as long as the airline offers the flexibility but it isn’t specifically solicited. (There’s no need to solicit it, the airlines just offer it.)
- Airport escorts / VIP handling. This is what Delta just suspended (and what Nancy Mace threatened to sue American Airlines over).
- Priority reaccommodation. Normally reaccommodations are handled with priority over other customers. Delta says now members will be handled based on their SkyMiles status rather than their elected office, which is an admission that they weren’t before.
- Special TSA handling. This is generally TSA, airport police or airport authority-provided, not something offered by the airline. But agencies curry favor with Congress, too.
- Comped elite status, lounge memberships, and upgrades. Generally members of Congress aren’t getting free upgrades, but other politicians can. Then-Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed a $30 million Delta tax break, and two weeks later Delta gave him and his wife SkyMiles Diamond status. Other Georgia politicians received comp status, too.
- Former VIP parking at Washington National. An airport perk, not an airline perk. Project Journey renovations cost Congress and the Supreme Court this perk. In its place they got free parking in the regular airport garages
- VIP rooms. Did you know that the American Airlines Admirals Club on the E concourse has a special – and beautiful – ‘protocol room’ hidden behind the check-in desks?
The space is “inspired by the Library of Congress” and features a table, couch, and a bookshelf of books designed to look so old their spines have worn off all of their identifying marks. Above the couch is a black mirror. When American announced the space they described the purpose of the mirror being to “draw[..] the eye up to only reflect back down an image of self.” The favorite image of almost anyone who will be sitting there!
- Special routes, just for them. Disgraced ex-United Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek agreed to provide a special flight to the Chairman of the Port Authority of New York New Jersey (to his vacation home, Newark–Columbia which he took 27 times) in exchange for addressing United issues on its agenda. That was actual corruption, but it wasn’t the only instance.
“According to a former US Airways executive, who asked not to be named, routes that were started or expanded in the 1990s and 2000s in order to benefit politicians included National/Charleston, S.C., home of South Carolina Sen. Ernest Hollings, who was ranking member on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; National/Portland, Maine, accommodating Sen. Olympia Snow; and National/Rochester, N.Y., home of U.S. Rep Louise Slaughter.”
…”In 2002, The Charlotte Observer reported that US Airways had a special arrangement with Sen. Hollings and his wife: If they complained about high fares, they could get lower ones.”
The history of the world is that it’s good to be the king, and not so good when you’re a peasant.
Airlines do sell VIP treatment to customers. Delta has VIP Select, American has Five Star and United has Signature Service. Politicians can get a level above this, free, because airlines want something from them. Politicians are in fact paying, just with your money.
Perhaps more importantly, if politicians shield themselves from the travel experience they impose on you, they don’t feel pressure to fix the problems they cause. They need to “eat their own dog food.” Senator Ted Cruz nearly got most members of Congress exempt from standard TSA as part of 2024 FAA Reauthorization, but the effort became public and was too embarrassing for Congress to pass.
There’s a rich history, though. Senator Ted Kennedy objected when US Airways was going to lay off special services staff at National airport who took care of him, his office just said he was saving (two) jobs when he pressured the airline to keep them on despite their financial woes a quarter century ago.
Despite my innate dislike for additional laws, we need one that requires elected officials and government employees to fly in a middle seat in the rear third of the cabin.
And while we’re at it, bring back the provision that any frequent-flyer points accrued on the government dime have to go back to the government.
Will Delta still provide unescorted minor service to Tim Dunn when his mother lets him travel?
The whole system is corrupt! That not going away! What u have to think about is what actual policies benefit Ur family! Last month a bill to break up Live Nation from Ticketmaster? Are u happy with fees costing more than the tickets?
It went away quietly with No coverage. How do u think politicians are at every concert or sports event
Well, that explains how and why an airline oversells their seats! No show government officials.
Ridiculous to allow this to happen. They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.
And we thought we got rid of royalty in 1776.
Sounds like Delta is extending the same benefits to Congress jist like Air France did for DSK years ago.
Ed’s gotta kiss the ring, after all…
I don’t mind airlines making special reservation benefits available to members of Congress. Are they sort of spending my tax dollars to get them? Sure, but they work for me, and I pay for employee expenses all the time. And I fly a lot, so things that benefit the airline industry tend to benefit me as well. If you want the Congressional airline perks, run for Congress.
The problem isn’t the perks. The problem is the Congresscritters are definitely NOT working for me.
Of course Congress exempts itself from prohibitions on accepting travel benefits from “prohibited sources” (government contractors, lobbyists, foreign entities) that it applies to other government employees.
@Denver Refugee. Agreed: Congress should be in “middle seat” in the “rear” of the plane. I add AND board last. Forced to gate check bags most of the time.
How about forcing them to stay in DC and pass a budget. That would resolve the crisis over night.
I think members of congress should be stripped of all their perks, and made go thru regular TSA lines. I predict they would re-auth TSA funding before their next get-out-of-town rush, coming next week (Passover/Easter break).
@George Romey – How about forcing them to work remotely from offices in their home districts? Where their constituents can better give them a piece of their mind…
@Claire – I also put on my pants like the rest of us: Only when I have to.
@Gennady: LOL: Yea, no TSA Preferred, Clear,… for Congress. Maybe a trip to secondary every 4th trip. After all, their job, “professional politician”, is per se suspicious :).
Corruption from the top down! Let all politicians duke it out like the rest of us!!!
Congress does NOT deserve special privileges, EVER – they make us ALL wait and who do they think they are – THEY are NOT the President nor VP. Heck as a Trauma Physician that means that I should have Head of the Line Privileges if that is what they think they deserve – so I APPAUD Detla and I think members of congress should ALL be like the Rest of us – Stand in Line, NEVER have head of the Line privileges, NEVER be given deference – they are NOTHING more than elected people to do a job of which they RARELY if ever do. All they do is think Highly of THEMSELVES and do NOT care about US, the commoners. Just look at the way they live, they way they make live in deference to THEM. Delta – take away ALL privileges as far as I am concerned FOREVER!
Members of Congress deserve as much “Consideration” as they give to their Tax Paying Constituents, about whom frankly they don’t give a damn.