Government Announces Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has announced that funds 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.
The US transportation department indicated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department moved separate financial resources from the FAA as an advance.
Transportation officials is in the process of alerting airline operators about the financial gap and alerting local areas about possible impacts.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting financial support by $308m for the air service program, which has support among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.
Throughout the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress opted to increase financial support instead.
This initiative typically supports two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska receive service and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation secretary commented during a press conference, noting the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that program going forward.”
