Government Announces Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes airline routes to remote airfields are set to expire as soon as Sunday because of the current federal funding lapse.
The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are likely to end as early as this weekend after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is in the process of alerting carriers about the funding shortfall and alerting communities about potential effects.
The government provides approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the White House suggested reducing funding by $308 million for the air service program, which has support among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
During the first presidency of the former president, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two round trips each day using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state have air access and 112 locations across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation chief commented during a press conference, observing the program had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that program going forward.”