US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has stated that financial support from a US government program that subsidizes airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend due to the current federal funding lapse.
Federal transportation authorities indicated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as early as this weekend after the agency moved unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers about the financial gap and informing communities about possible impacts.
The government provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the first presidency of the former president, the White House proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers opted to increase financial support instead.
The program typically subsidizes two round trips daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. 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 likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“All states across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation chief commented during a press conference, observing the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that program going forward.”
