Delta Airlines ends discount program for NRA members

Delta Airlines announced Saturday it would be ending a discount program for National Rifle Association (NRA) members, becoming the latest in a string of companies to cut ties with the gun group.

“Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program,” the company tweeted. “We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website.” 

Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program. We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website.

— Delta (@Delta) February 24, 2018

A host of other companies have also cut ties with the group amid heightened scrutiny following the mass shooting at a Florida high school last week.

The airline was under pressure to follow suit and defended its NRA discounts to ThinkProgress this week as “routine,” saying that “[a]ny group with more than ten people traveling from more than two departure cities, within a defined period, can qualify​ for a group discount (excluding weddings and family reunions). Delta has more than 2,000 such contracts in place.​”

{mosads}Car rental companies National Car Rental, Enterprise and Alamo announced this week that they would end their discount programs, and car pricing group TrueCar announced it would end its program that allowed NRA members to save an average of nearly $3,400 off the retail price of new and used cars.

First National Bank of Omaha also announced Thursday it would end its business relationship with the gun group, which included issuing NRA-branded credit cards to members, and top cybersecurity group Symantec will no longer provide NRA members with discounts for its anti-virus software.

The outcry against the NRA comes a week after the school shooting at a Florida high school left 17 dead.

Survivors of the shooting have focused much of their advocacy attention on GOP lawmakers who have received campaign contributions from the group. The students have used social media to increase public pressure on companies who have business relationships with the NRA.