🔗 Share this article US Says Subsidies for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Soon as Sunday The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a US government program that supports airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as early as this weekend due to 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 transferred unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance. The department is in the process of alerting carriers about the funding shortfall and informing communities about possible impacts. Federal authorities allocates approximately $350 million in annual funding for the program. Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing funding by $308m for the air service program, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas. During the first presidency of the former president, the White House proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers opted to increase funding instead. This initiative typically subsidizes two return flights daily using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller aircraft. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska have air access and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any commercial air connectivity. “Every state nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation secretary stated during a media briefing, observing the program had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that program going forward.”