🔗 Share this article US Says Subsidies for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Early as This Weekend The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a US government program that supports commercial air service to rural airports are set to expire as early as this weekend due to the ongoing government shutdown. The US transportation department indicated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the agency moved separate financial resources from the FAA as an advance. The department is currently notifying carriers about the financial gap and alerting communities about potential effects. The government provides approximately $350 million in yearly financial support for the program. Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions. Throughout the initial term of the former president, the administration proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but lawmakers opted to increase financial support instead. The program typically subsidizes two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. 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 airline service. “All states across the country will be impacted,” the transportation secretary stated during a press conference, noting the program had bipartisan support. “We don't have the money for that initiative going forward.”