Government Announces Funding for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Early as This Weekend
Federal officials has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that supports commercial air service to remote airfields are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday due to the current federal funding lapse.
The US transportation department stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the department moved unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
The department is in the process of alerting carriers about the financial gap and alerting local areas about potential effects.
Federal authorities provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308m for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers 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 opted to increase financial support instead.
This initiative typically subsidizes two round trips each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state have air access and 112 communities across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any airline service.
“All states across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation chief commented during a press conference, noting the program had bipartisan support. “We lack the money for that initiative moving forward.”
