Government Announces Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has stated that funds from a US government program that subsidizes airline routes to rural airports are set to expire as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as soon as Sunday after the agency moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and informing communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.
Earlier this year, the administration suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the initial term of the former president, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state have air access and 112 communities across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any airline service.
“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief commented during a press conference, noting the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that program moving forward.”
