US Says Subsidies for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has announced that financial support from a US government program that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of the current federal funding lapse.
The US transportation department indicated 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 Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
The department is currently notifying carriers about the financial gap and informing communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the administration proposed cutting financial support by $308m for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.
Throughout the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers opted to increase funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two round trips daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska receive service and 112 communities across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.
“Every state across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary stated during a press conference, observing the service had support from both parties. “We lack the money for that initiative moving forward.”
