🔗 Share this article US Says Funding for Rural Airline Service to End as Early as This Weekend Federal officials has announced that financial support from a federal initiative that subsidizes commercial air service to remote airfields are set to expire as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown. Federal transportation authorities indicated that subsidies 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 temporary measure. The department is currently notifying carriers about the funding shortfall and informing communities about potential effects. Federal authorities allocates approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program. In recent months, the White House proposed cutting funding by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it provides services to rural, largely Republican areas. During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but Congress opted to increase financial support instead. This initiative typically supports two round trips daily using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska receive service and 112 communities across the other 49 states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any airline service. “All states nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, observing the service had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that initiative moving forward.”