Delta Air Lines is apparently pressuring members of Congress to restore funding to Transportation Security Administration agents amid the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
The decision by Democratic lawmakers to withhold funding for DHS has resulted in lengthy airport security lines, particularly in Atlanta, which is home to Delta’s headquarters. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, has advised air travelers to arrive at least four hours before their scheduled flights.
‘It’s ridiculous to see them being used as political chips.’
Meanwhile, the callout rate for the airport’s TSA agents reached 41.5% on Sunday, according to the DHS.
TSA agents have not received their full paychecks since Feb. 14. They received partial paychecks on Feb. 28, missed their next pay period on March 13, and are set to miss their second full paychecks on March 27.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian called the situation “inexcusable” during a March 17 interview with CNBC.
“It’s inexcusable that our security agents, our frontline agents, that are central to what we do, are not being paid. And it’s ridiculous to see them being used as political chips,” Bastian stated. “So yeah, we’re outraged.”
“If there’s a call to action here, and I think over 90% of the American public support those people getting paid, ask our folks right here in Washington to do their job. Get our people paid. They can do it,” Bastian added.
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Ed Bastian. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Delta appears to be pressuring Congress members to act by suspending a special benefit typically granted to them.
The airline announced that it has halted its dedicated flight assistance service for Capitol Hill legislators, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” a statement from the company reads, according to the AJC. “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.”
Members of Congress will be treated like all Delta travelers, according to their SkyMiles status, a spokesperson told the news outlet.
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Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images
Last week, Bastian joined nine other aviation CEOs in an open letter to Congress, stressing the importance of paying TSA agents. Leaders of American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines also signed the letter.
“Americans — who live in your districts and home states — are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown,” the letter reads. “Yet, once again air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown.”
“First, leaders should immediately come together to reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security,” it continues. “Then they need to act so this problem never happens again.”
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