For years, the quiet choreography of power extended well beyond the halls of Washington and into the terminals of major airports. Members of Congress moved through a different version of air travel, one that softened the friction most passengers accept as routine. There were escorts who guided them through crowded concourses, expedited pathways that reduced waiting, and a level of attention often described as “white glove.” It was not loudly advertised, but it was widely understood. Travel, for elected officials, did not mirror the experience of the public they represented. That arrang