US Says Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Early as This Weekend
Federal officials has announced that funds from a federal initiative that supports airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend due to 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 agency moved unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an temporary measure.
The department is currently notifying carriers about the funding shortfall and informing communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities provides approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the White House proposed cutting financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.
Throughout the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
This initiative typically supports two return flights daily using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state have air access and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any airline service.
“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, noting the program had support from both parties. “We lack the funding for that initiative going forward.”
