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 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 subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the agency transferred separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an temporary measure.

Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and informing communities about possible impacts.

The government provides approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.

In recent months, the White House suggested reducing funding by $308 million for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.

Throughout the first presidency of Donald Trump, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress opted to increase funding instead.

The program typically subsidizes 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 areas in the northern state receive service and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity.

“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief stated during a press conference, observing the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the money for that program going forward.”