US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Early as This Weekend
Federal officials has stated that funds from a US government program that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown.
Federal transportation authorities stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an temporary measure.
The department is currently notifying airline operators about the funding shortfall and alerting local areas about potential effects.
Federal authorities provides approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
In recent months, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the first presidency of the former president, the White House proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers chose to boost financial support instead.
The program typically supports two return flights daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – 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 communities across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“Every state nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a press conference, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the funding for that initiative going forward.”
