US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes commercial air service 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 subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the department transferred unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance.
The department is in the process of alerting airline operators about the financial gap and informing communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities allocates 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 GOP legislators because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the initial term of Donald Trump, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
The program typically subsidizes two return flights each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska have air access and 112 communities across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary commented during a press conference, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the funding for that program moving forward.”
