US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has stated that funds from a federal initiative that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are set to expire as soon as Sunday due to the ongoing government shutdown.
The US transportation department indicated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department transferred unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance.
The department is currently notifying airline operators about the funding shortfall and alerting communities about possible impacts.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the administration suggested reducing funding by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress opted to increase funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two round trips each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state have air access and 112 communities across the remaining states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“All states across the country will be impacted,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that initiative moving forward.”
