Government Announces Funding for Rural Airline Service to End as Early as This Weekend
Federal officials has announced that funds from a US government program that supports airline routes to remote airfields are set to expire as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is in the process of alerting carriers about the funding shortfall and informing communities about potential effects.
The government provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308m for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.
Throughout the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress opted to increase funding instead.
The program typically subsidizes two round trips daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska receive service and 112 communities across the other 49 states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation chief commented during a media briefing, observing the program had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that program moving forward.”
