Government Announces Subsidies for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has stated that financial support from a federal initiative that supports airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The US transportation department stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the agency moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
The department is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and alerting communities about possible impacts.
The government allocates approximately $350 million 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 GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the first presidency of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two round trips daily using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state have air access and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any airline service.
“All states across the country 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.”
