TSA PreCheck Remains Operational, After Mixed Signals From DHS

On Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security announced the suspension of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck in the wake of a partial federal shutdown. However, the department reversed course on Sunday, confirming that TSA PreCheck has not been affected. The department also said it will adjust PreCheck operations if staffing constraints arise. For now, it has suspended all airport courtesy escorts, including those for members of Congress.

Global Entry, on the other hand, has been shut down. The department said in a statement, “Officers assigned to process Global Entry travelers will be re-assigned to process all other arriving travelers.”

TSA PreCheck allows travelers to pass through airport security faster at U.S. airports. Travelers enroll in the paid program for $85 for five years. Global Entry similarly allows travelers to shorten airport lines on arrival in the United States. Those with Global Entry also have PreCheck access, and enrollment costs $120 for five years.

Last Thursday, several flights from Munich Airport were canceled, and, according to reports, around 500 passengers spent the night on grounded planes. Several flights—including those to Denmark, Austria, and Italy—were canceled due to heavy snow. With no buses or staff at the airport, passengers were stuck on the planes for hours.

Those traveling to Copenhagen on a 9:30 p.m. flight spent several hours on the tarmac before the flight was ultimately canceled before midnight. There were no buses to bring passengers back to the airport, and around 2 a.m., airline staff told them they could not contact anyone at the airport. With a flight ban from midnight to 5 a.m., all drivers had gone home, passengers said. The flight was not prepared to accommodate 123 passengers overnight and lacked blankets, food, and water.

Lufthansa confirmed that the passengers were stuck on the tarmac overnight and were transported to the airport in the early hours. They were rebooked on the next available flight.

Police arrested a 20-year-old scammer in Spain after he booked a luxury hotel room, which typically costs $1,180 per night, for one euro cent. He was detained in Madrid after staying at the hotel for four nights, consuming mini-bar items, and leaving other bills unpaid. He is accused of scamming €20,000 ($23,600) over several stays.

The scammer allegedly manipulated the payment system using a cyberattack, authorizing payment of one cent instead of the full amount due. The crime was detected when the amount was transferred to the hotel. It is also suspected he pulled off similar scams at other hotels.

Seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver died after their tour bus plunged into an icy lake. The bus was crossing Siberia’s Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake in the world, when it fell through a 10-foot-wide ice crevasse. The lake is 59 feet deep at the site of the incident. One tourist managed to escape, but all others, including a 14-year-old, perished. Divers recovered the bodies using underwater cameras, and a criminal investigation has been launched.

Lake Baikal, with a depth of 5,300 feet, is a popular tourist destination. It freezes over in winter, and Irkutsk regional governor Igor Kobzev warned tourists that visiting the lake is currently prohibited.

Delta Air Lines apologized to Latavia Sturdivant, Ms. Wheelchair America 2026, after her specialized wheelchair was damaged during a flight.

Sturdivant, who travels for advocacy work, was returning from South Dakota to New York when her wheelchair was damaged. She said in interviews that she is now stuck at home. “There is no other chair that I can use because it keeps my body in proper alignment, prevents me from having contractions, and so Delta needs to do better in taking proper care of our wheelchairs.”

She filed a complaint with a Delta employee, who allegedly told her that a family member could push the mobility device, People reported. However, this was not possible due to the wheelchair’s weight. She also said that a wheelchair is not a luxury, but a necessity, and damage to mobility devices can affect the independence of those who need them.

Delta officials confirmed that the airline will cover the cost of repairs. It said in a statement, “Delta understands the fundamental impact that any damaged mobility aid has on an individual and their daily life. We sincerely apologize for this customer’s experience that did not live up to our standards, and we are in touch with them to ensure we make things right.”

Related: I’m a Wheelchair User, and I’ll Never Fly Southwest Again