🔗 Share this article

The Trump administration has announced that financial support from a US government program that supports commercial air service to remote airfields are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday because of the ongoing government shutdown.

The US transportation department indicated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service program are expected to expire as soon as Sunday after the department moved unrelated funding from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.

Transportation officials is in the process of alerting airline operators about the funding shortfall and alerting local areas about possible impacts.

Federal authorities allocates approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.

Earlier this year, the administration proposed cutting funding by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which has support among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to predominantly Republican rural regions.

Throughout the initial term of Donald Trump, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost funding instead.

The program typically subsidizes two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report 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.

“Every state nationwide will be impacted,” the transportation chief commented during a media briefing, noting the program had support from both parties. “We don't have the funding for that program going forward.”