US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday
The Trump administration has stated that funds from a federal initiative that supports commercial air service to remote airfields are set to expire as early as this weekend because of the current federal funding lapse.
Federal transportation authorities indicated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department moved separate financial resources from the FAA as an advance.
Transportation officials is in the process of alerting airline operators about the financial gap and informing communities about possible impacts.
The government provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the administration proposed cutting funding by $308m for the air service program, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
Throughout 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.
This initiative typically subsidizes two round trips each day using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska receive service and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.
“All states across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation chief stated during a media briefing, observing the program had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that initiative moving forward.”
