Government Announces Funding for Rural Airline Service to End as Soon as Sunday

The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that supports airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end 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 likely to end as soon as Sunday after the agency transferred unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an temporary measure.

The department is currently notifying airline operators about the funding shortfall and informing communities about possible impacts.

Federal authorities provides approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program.

In recent months, the White House proposed cutting funding by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.

During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress opted to increase financial support instead.

This initiative typically supports two return flights daily using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller aircraft. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state have air access and 112 locations across the other 49 states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity.

“All states nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a press conference, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the funding for that program moving forward.”