Government Announces Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has announced that funds from a federal initiative that subsidizes airline routes to remote airfields are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as soon as Sunday after the agency moved separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers about the funding shortfall and informing local areas about potential effects.
The government provides approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting financial support by $308m for the air service program, which has support among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically subsidizes two return flights each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state receive service and 112 communities across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“All states across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation chief stated during a media briefing, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that initiative moving forward.”
