Fog-laden skies over Washington triggered an hour-long ground stop at Reagan National Airport on Friday, causing widespread disruption for passengers in American Airlines' Terminal D. Among those affected was former president Joe Biden, who was seen waiting alongside other travellers for a commercial flight to Columbia, South Carolina, where he was due to attend an evening event with the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Mr Biden, who has rarely been seen in public since leaving office, was accompanied by a US Secret Service detail and uniformed local police officers, drawing attention from fellow passengers. Despite his previous position as the nation's president, he was subject to the same delays as everyone else, sitting in the third row of the small first-class cabin and boarding ahead of other passengers with his security detail positioned discreetly throughout the aircraft.
His presence was notable given his long-standing reputation as "Amtrak Joe", having frequently chosen train travel over residing in Washington during his time as a senator. Even after his presidency, he has been spotted riding the rails and engaging with fellow passengers, maintaining an approachable demeanour.
During Friday's flight, several passengers interacted with Mr Biden. One woman offered, "God bless you, sir," while another man shook his hand and said, "Thank you for your service." A woman who took the aisle seat next to him initially placed her coffee on the shared armrest and stowed her bag overhead, only to realise her seatmate was the 46th president. Mr Biden steadied her cup and greeted her with a friendly "hello", leading her to confess, "I feel like I'm about to cry." They shook hands and chatted throughout the hour-long flight.
Federal law guarantees lifelong Secret Service protection for former presidents and their spouses, but it does not provide for the elite private travel arrangements that were a necessary feature of their time in office.
