US Says Funding for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Soon as Sunday
Federal officials has announced that funds from a US government program that subsidizes commercial air service to rural airports are set to expire as early as this weekend due to the current federal funding lapse.
The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department transferred separate financial resources from the FAA as an temporary measure.
Transportation officials is in the process of alerting airline operators about the funding shortfall and alerting communities about potential effects.
Federal authorities allocates approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program.
In recent months, the administration suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas.
Throughout the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.
The program typically supports two round trips daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – 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 other 49 states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.
“All states nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary stated during a media briefing, observing the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the money for that program moving forward.”
