Government Announces Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to Expire as Early as This Weekend
The Trump administration has stated that financial support from a US government program that supports airline routes to remote airfields are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The US transportation department indicated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as early as this weekend after the department moved unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.
Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and informing communities about potential effects.
The government allocates approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.
Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
During the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers opted to increase funding instead.
This initiative typically subsidizes two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state receive service and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any airline service.
“All states across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief commented during a press conference, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that initiative moving forward.”
