Delta Air Lines Gives “Middle Finger” to Lawmakers Until TSA is Funded

If you have traveled lately, you definitely know what is going on. If you watch the news, then you know what is going on as well. But for those who don’t know and you want SFL.media to tell you, there is a “partial” government shutdown going on, and it specifically is withholding funding for the Department of Homeland Security. And as a result, the TSA is being directly affected in a major way. Which means travelers are being affected in a major way.

During that partial shutdown, a lot of TSA employees were either furloughed or were working without pay. And so that created a staffing crisis. And as a result, there are tons of delays and security issues at airports.

What exactly is this shutdown? And is it tied into all of the Department of Homeland Security?

So, the partial shutdown usually happens when Congress can’t agree on funding bills for certain departments. And in this case, the Department of Homeland Security (TSA falls under that) was caught in the crossfire. Some agencies under DHS were left furloughed or underfunded, which led to all those delays. It’s a big domino effect.

delta photo
Courtesy: ChatGPT
And it’s not just TSA, other DHS agencies are also affected. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement still pay some staff, but their processes are slowed. FEMA’s routine programs are suspended, CISA has furloughed much of its staff, and the Coast Guard is still on duty but facing pay delays.

What did Delta Air Lines do? How are they tied into this?

At the time of this article, Delta Air Lines (the only airline showing some balls) is temporarily suspending its VIP airport services for members of Congress and Senators, like priority escorts and line-skipping. This comes as a result of growing delays caused by a funding stalemate at the TSA (the partial shutdown), leading to longer security waits.

These arrogant lawmakers often have access to perks that include: expedited security screenings, private TSA pre-check lanes, lounge access, and sometimes even dedicated Delta staff to help them get through the airport more quickly. But with this suspension, they’re losing that VIP treatment. The only remaining perk is access to the Capital Desk reservation line, and lawmakers will now be treated like regular passengers.

Did any lawmakers have comments about what Delta is doing?

Several lawmakers have commented on Delta’s decision to suspend VIP airport services for Congress members. Senator John Cornyn introduced a bipartisan bill to eliminate these perks permanently, while Representative Nancy Mace supported Delta’s move, saying lawmakers should experience the same wait times as everyone else. The suspension, tied to TSA staffing shortages from the government shutdown, is currently temporary, but it could lead to a permanent change if Congress acts.

I gotta tell ya, I love this move by Delta. Why the hell aren’t more airlines doing this? It doesn’t take “balls” anymore. You are now just copy-catting and doing the right thing. Delta kicked the door open for you, other cowards. We all should salute Delta for giving this figurative “middle finger” to our precious, embarrassing, disgusting lawmakers. Now, hopefully, they can get things in order and fix what they have all messed up, and get this stuff funded.

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