Government Announces Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has stated that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes commercial air service to remote airfields are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of 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 agency moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance.
Transportation officials is in the process of alerting carriers about the funding shortfall and informing local areas about potential effects.
The government allocates approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting funding by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the first presidency of the former president, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically supports two round trips each day using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. 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 otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation chief commented during a media briefing, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that initiative moving forward.”
