Government Announces Funding for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a US government program that supports airline routes to remote airfields are set to expire as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities indicated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the agency transferred separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the funding shortfall and informing communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House proposed cutting funding by $308 million for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the first presidency of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
The program typically subsidizes two round trips daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska receive service and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief commented during a media briefing, noting the program had support from both parties. “We don't have the money for that program moving forward.”
