Airline nixes perk for flying lawmakers as DHS shutdown continues

By Brett Rowland
The Center Square

As a partial government shutdown continues, one major airline has suspended services for flying lawmakers as travel chaos builds at U.S. airports.

The ongoing partial government shutdown is rippling across the nation’s air travel system, causing mounting delays and operational strain at airports. With TSA officers missing pay and airlines scaling back special services for lawmakers, the political standoff in Washington over Department of Homeland Security funding is creating real-world consequences for travelers and highlighting the broader impact of the impasse over immigration policy.

On Tuesday, Delta announced it would pause certain services for members of Congress, citing a need to prioritize safety amid ongoing partisan disputes over Department of Homeland Security funding. While Democrats are pushing for changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, Republicans have pushed back against proposals such as banning agents from wearing masks while on duty.

With the DHS shutdown ongoing, Transportation Security Administration employees have missed paychecks, leading to increased absences. On Sunday alone, more than 3,400 TSA officers – nearly 12% of the workforce scheduled – called out, marking the highest number since the shutdown began.

Delta emphasized that its decision was rooted in safety concerns.

“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” the company said in a statement provided to The Center Square. “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.”

Specialty services include airport escorts and red coat assistance. While the Capitol Desk reservations line remains open, members of Congress will now be treated as regular customers according to their SkyMiles status.

On Monday, the Trump administration dispatched ICE and other Homeland Security agents to 14 major airports to help move passengers through overcrowded checkpoints. These agents are filling in for TSA officers at select locations due to widespread absences caused by missed paychecks during the shutdown.

Senate Republican leaders are approaching a funding deal with Democrats to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, but many rank-and-file Republicans regard the compromise as insufficient.

With the DHS shutdown entering its sixth week and travel disruptions worsening, reports suggest a potential breakthrough: the Senate would vote on the fiscal year 2026 Homeland Security bill, excluding the $5.5 billion designated for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s deportation operations.

If the Senate approves the bill, it must also pass the House.

This approach is designed to win enough Democratic votes to fund DHS, without adopting all of the ICE restrictions Democrats had previously demanded to end the shutdown.

Earlier this month, Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. carriers, urged Congress to resolve the funding impasse.

“As TSA officers are facing a $0 paycheck this week, we are seeing firsthand the significant strains that the current DHS shutdown is causing across the aviation system,” A4A President and CEO Chris Sununu said. “TSA lines are two and three hours long at some airports, causing flights to be delayed and passengers to miss flights.”

Democrats have blocked DHS funding, citing concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices. They are demanding new restrictions in the 2026 appropriations bill, including bans on mask-wearing by DHS agents, racial profiling, indiscriminate arrests, protestor tracking, and entering private property without both judicial and immigration court warrants, among other changes.