US Says Subsidies for Rural Airline Service to End as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has announced that funds from a US government program that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service program 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 currently notifying carriers about the funding shortfall and alerting local areas about possible impacts.
The government provides approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting financial support by $308 million for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two round trips daily 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 have air access and 112 communities across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“All states nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a press conference, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that program moving forward.”
