Government Announces Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has stated that funds from a federal initiative that supports airline routes to remote airfields are set to expire as early as this weekend due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as soon as Sunday after the department transferred separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers about the financial gap and informing communities about possible impacts.
Federal authorities provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing funding by $308m for the air service program, which has support among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers chose to boost financial support instead.
This initiative typically subsidizes two return flights daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska have air access and 112 communities across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation secretary stated during a press conference, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the funding for that initiative moving forward.”
