US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has announced that funds from a federal initiative that supports airline routes to remote airfields are set to expire as soon as Sunday due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities indicated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers about the funding shortfall and alerting local areas about possible impacts.
Federal authorities provides approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the administration proposed cutting funding by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers opted to increase financial support instead.
The program typically supports two return flights daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska have air access and 112 locations across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“Every state nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary stated during a press conference, noting the program had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that initiative going forward.”
