US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that supports commercial air service to remote airfields are set to expire as early as this weekend due to the current federal funding lapse.
The US transportation department stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
The department is in the process of alerting carriers about the funding shortfall and alerting communities about possible impacts.
The government provides approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House proposed cutting funding by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the initial term of Donald Trump, the White House proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically subsidizes two return flights daily using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state receive service and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“All states across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary stated during a media briefing, observing the program had support from both parties. “We lack the funding for that program moving forward.”
