US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has stated that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as early as this weekend after the agency transferred separate financial resources from the FAA as an advance.
Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers about the financial gap and alerting local areas about potential effects.
The government allocates approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the administration suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress chose to boost funding instead.
The program typically supports two return flights each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state receive service and 112 communities across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.
“All states nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation chief commented during a media briefing, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the funding for that initiative moving forward.”
