US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has announced that funds from a US government program that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are set to expire as early as this weekend due to the current federal funding lapse.
The US transportation department indicated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
The department is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and informing local areas about potential effects.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the administration proposed cutting financial support by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically subsidizes two round trips each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state receive service and 112 communities 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, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We lack the money for that program moving forward.”
