🔗 Share this article US Says Funding for Rural Airline Service to End as Early as This Weekend Federal officials has announced that funds from a federal initiative that subsidizes airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend due to the current federal funding lapse. Federal transportation authorities indicated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as soon as Sunday after the agency transferred separate financial resources from the FAA as an advance. Transportation officials is currently notifying carriers 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 suggested reducing funding 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. This initiative typically subsidizes two round trips each day using 30- to 50-seat aircraft – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in the northern state receive service and 112 communities across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity. “All states across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation chief stated during a media briefing, observing the service had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that program going forward.”