🔗 Share this article US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday Federal officials has announced that financial support from a US government program that subsidizes commercial air service to remote airfields are set to expire as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown. The US transportation department stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as early as this weekend after the agency moved unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance. Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the funding shortfall and informing local areas about potential effects. The government provides approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program. Earlier this year, the administration suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions. During the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers opted to increase funding instead. This initiative typically subsidizes two round trips daily using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska have air access and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any commercial air connectivity. “All states nationwide will feel the effects,” the transportation chief stated during a media briefing, observing the program had support from both parties. “We lack the money for that initiative moving forward.”