Small City Air Subsidies Were Supposed To End In 1988. Instead, Congress Is About To Triple Them.

Mar 29 2024

The Essential Air Service program was created in the late 1970s as a temporary measure to soften the blow of deregulation. It provided for a ’10 year transition’ period in which small community service could receive subsidies. And it’s the perfect example of the old axiom that there’s nothing as permanent in life as a temporary government program. The program was supposed to end in 1988.

Instead, the Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill includes a tripling of funding for the program going forward.

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