Delta suspends priority treatment for U.S. congressmen at airports due to chaos

New York.- Delta Airlines temporarily suspended the special treatment it gives to congressmen in its terminals due to the large number of people stranded at US airports due to the absence or resignation of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees. The decrease in TSA employees is due to the fact that they have not been paid their salaries since February because the new budget for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, has not yet been approved.

“Due to the impact on resources resulting from the prolonged government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend special services for members of Congress,” the airline told EFE.

Furthermore, in written statements, he explained that after safety, Delta’s number one priority “is to take care of our employees and customers” which ensures “has become increasingly difficult in the current context“.

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Images of long lines at the country’s main airports have made headlines in the media and crowded social media, leading President Donald Trump to send agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) to those facilities. According to the federal agency, more than 400 of its TSA workers have resigned. In that context, Delta stopped prioritizing services received by congressmen and, according to this company, that includes airport assistance and uniformed red-jacketed porter services.

“Members of Congress will be treated like any other passenger based on their respective SkyMiles status,” Delta stated.

In the final hours of this Tuesday, the Senate has made progress towards reaching an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the partial shutdown that has caused delays and chaos in many airports.