🔗 Share this article US Says Funding for Rural Airline Service to Expire as Soon as Sunday Federal officials has stated that financial support from a federal initiative that supports commercial air service to remote airfields are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday due to the ongoing government shutdown. Federal transportation authorities stated that subsidies under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the department moved unrelated funding from the FAA as an advance. Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and alerting communities about possible impacts. Federal authorities allocates approximately $350m in annual funding for the program. Earlier this year, the White House suggested reducing financial support by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among Republican lawmakers because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions. During the initial term of the former president, the White House proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers opted to increase financial support instead. The program typically subsidizes two round trips daily using medium-sized planes – or additional frequencies with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 communities in Alaska receive service and 112 locations across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that otherwise might not receive any airline service. “Every state across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, observing the program had support from both parties. “We don't have the money for that program going forward.”