Government Announces Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has stated that financial support from a US government program that supports commercial air service to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department transferred unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
The department is currently notifying carriers about the financial gap and alerting local areas about possible impacts.
The government provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing funding by $308m for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers opted to increase financial support instead.
The program typically supports two return flights daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state receive service and 112 communities across the remaining states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any airline service.
“All states nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary stated during a press conference, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that program moving forward.”
