Government Announces Subsidies 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 supports airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the agency moved separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the funding shortfall and informing local areas about potential effects.
The government allocates approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress chose to boost funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state receive service and 112 locations across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary commented during a press conference, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that program going forward.”
