US Says Funding for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Early as This Weekend
Federal officials has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes airline routes to remote airfields are set to expire as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The US transportation department stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are likely to end as early as this weekend after the department moved separate financial resources from the FAA as an temporary measure.
The department is in the process of alerting carriers about the financial gap and informing communities about possible impacts.
The government provides approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the administration proposed cutting financial support by $308 million for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the first presidency of the former president, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress chose to boost financial support instead.
This initiative typically subsidizes two round trips daily using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state receive service and 112 communities across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, noting the program had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that program moving forward.”
