US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has stated that financial support from a US government program that supports airline routes to remote airfields are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the current federal funding lapse.
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 agency moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance.
Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers about the funding shortfall and informing communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting funding by $308 million for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the initial term of the former president, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically supports two round trips daily using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state 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 feel the effects,” the transportation chief stated during a press conference, noting the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that program going forward.”
