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 commercial air service to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the current federal funding lapse.
Federal transportation authorities stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the agency transferred separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
The department is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and alerting local areas about potential effects.
The government provides approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the administration suggested reducing 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.
Throughout the first presidency of the former president, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress chose to boost funding instead.
The program typically subsidizes two round trips daily using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state have air access and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any airline service.
“All states nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, noting the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the money for that initiative going forward.”
