US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes airline routes to rural airports 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 Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
The department is in the process of alerting carriers about the financial gap and informing local areas about possible impacts.
The government allocates approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House proposed cutting financial support by $308 million for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the initial term of Donald Trump, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically supports two return flights each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska have air access and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief stated during a media briefing, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that initiative moving forward.”