Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintain commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these communities that otherwise would not be profitable. [1] The program is codified at 49 U.S.C. §§ 41731 – 41748.
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) subsidizes airlines to serve communities across the country that otherwise would not receive scheduled air service. [1] As of June 1, 2015, 159 communities in the US received EAS subsidies, of which 44 were in Alaska, two in Hawaii, and one in Puerto Rico. [2] The decision as to what degree of subsidized service a community requires is made based on identifying a specific hub for the community and from there determining the number of trips, seats, and type of aircraft that are necessary to serve that hub. [1]
These increases occurred despite numerous Congressional measures to contain program spending. [2] The George W. Bush Administration sought to reduce the cost of the program to $50 million by stricter eligibility criteria and requiring the local governments of the areas served to contribute to the cost. The Heritage Foundation argued in 2014 that rural airports should receive no federal subsidies through the Essential Air Service program; rather, state and local governments that value the air services should support them. [3] The Congressional Research Service has reported in 2018 that since the early 2000s federal subsidies for the EAS have nearly tripled to almost $300 million per year. [2] By May 2023, the subsidies amounted to $394.2 million per year. [4]
Pursuant to the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2000, no community within the 48 contiguous states may receive a subsidy greater than $200 per passenger unless the community is more than 210 miles (340 km) from the nearest large or medium hub airport. Pursuant to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, to be eligible for the program, a community in the contiguous 48 states must either maintain an average of 10 or more enplanements per service day or be located more than 175 miles (282 km) from the nearest large or medium hub airport. The criteria for 10 or more enplanements can be waived by the Secretary of Transportation, on an annual basis, if a community can demonstrate that it is due to a temporary decline. [5]
The Department of Transportation, pursuant to the Consolidated and Further Appropriations Act of 2015, is required to negotiate a local cost share with communities located less than 40 miles (64 km) from a small hub airport. [5]
Critics question the economic and environmental efficiency of the service. [6] According to a 2006 New York Times article on the program, the subsidy per passenger, averaged across the entire program excluding Alaska, is approximately $74, and much higher on some particularly poorly patronized flights [7] where subsidies are as high as $801 per passenger. [8]
The program is politically popular in the cities receiving the subsidized flights, many of which use an airport with scheduled service as a selling point to attract industry to their regions. Several subsidized airports are within an hour's drive from an unsubsidized airport. [6]
The following tables list all Essential Air Service communities under the various funding programs. This is based on the most recent reports issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), [9] [10] [11] and updated to reflect changes based on DOT orders. Docket and order numbers link to their respective pages on the docket management site, which typically includes the original files in PDF and other formats. The hubs are designated using the three-letter IATA airport code assigned by the International Air Transport Association. [12]
The Alternate Essential Air Service program grants funds directly to the municipality or airport authority instead of the air carrier. This allows the community to recruit air service that would not otherwise meet EAS guidelines, such as more frequent service with smaller aircraft, less-than-daily service, flights to differing destinations at different times of the year or week, on-demand air taxi service, scheduled or on-demand ground surface transportation, regionalized air service, or even purchasing an aircraft. This alternative program has most often occurred as a public charter arrangement as prescribed by Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 380. The first airport to enter this program was Manistee County Blacker Airport in 2012. [13]
Under the Community Flexibility Pilot Program, established in 2003, up to ten communities can receive a grant equal to two years' worth of subsidy in exchange for forgoing their EAS service for ten years. [14] [15] These grants must be used to fund projects that will improve the airport for general aviation. As of 2020, only one community has ever taken advantage of the program:
State | Community | Airport | Total grant | Docket | Order | Expires |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CA | Visalia | Visalia Municipal Airport | $3,703,368 | 2004-19916 | 2017-1-2 | Apr 30, 2026 |
The following tables list airports which formerly had Essential Air Service subsidized routes. [16]
State | Community | Airport | Service to hub(s) | Carrier | Aircraft/seats | Docket | Order | Ended | Reason/notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MD | Hagerstown | Hagerstown Regional Airport | Baltimore (BWI) Pittsburgh (PIT) | Southern Airways Express | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 | 2006-25228 | 2019-8-17 | Oct 18, 2019 | Below 10 passenger enplanement requirement and exceeded $200 subsidy cap. |
NY | Jamestown | Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport | Pittsburgh (PIT) | Southern Airways Express | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 | 2003-14950 | 2016-8-26 | Jan 16, 2018 | Below 10 passenger enplanement requirement and exceeded $200 subsidy cap. Multiple attempts to reestablish air service with Boutique Air have been denied. [17] |
PA | Franklin / Oil City | Venango Regional Airport | Pittsburgh (PIT) | Southern Airways Express | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 | 1997-2523 | 2019-8-17 | Oct 18, 2019 | Below 10 passenger enplanement requirement and exceeded $200 subsidy cap. |
SD | Huron | Huron Regional Airport | Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) | Great Lakes Airlines | Beechcraft 1900D / 19 | 2000-7138 | 2014-7-10 | Sep 30, 2016 | Exceeded $1,000 subsidy cap |
Community | Airport | Service to hub(s) | Carrier | Aircraft | Docket | Order | Ended | Reason |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chatham | Chatham Seaplane Base | Juneau (JNU) | Ward Air | Cessna 185 / 3, or Cessna 206 / 4, or de Havilland Beaver / 6 | 1997-3134 | 2018-8-15 | Sep 30, 2018 | Low resident count, no objections to terminating service |
Rampart | Rampart Airport | Fairbanks (FAI) | Warbelow's Air Ventures | Piper Navajo / 9 | 2008-0201 | 2016-8-2 | Aug 2, 2016 | Subsidy no longer required |
Funter Bay | Funter Bay Seaplane Base | Juneau (JNU) | Ward Air | Cessna 185 / 3, or Cessna 206 / 4, or de Havilland Beaver / 6 | 1997-3134 | 2018-8-15 | Sep 30, 2018 | Low resident count, no objections to terminating service |
Visalia Municipal Airport is five miles west of downtown Visalia, in Tulare County, California, United States. The airport is eligible for the Essential Air Service program, but has no scheduled air service, and is not eligible to request funding for service until April 30, 2026.
San Luis Valley Regional Airport is two miles south of Alamosa, in Alamosa County, Colorado, United States. It sees one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. The airport reached 10,000 enplanements for the first time in its EAS participation with Boutique Air and is now classified as a non-hub primary airport.
Bradford Regional Airport is 11 miles south of Bradford, in Lafayette Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania. It has scheduled airline service subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Athens–Ben Epps Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Athens, a city in Clarke County, Georgia, United States. The airport is named after Ben T. Epps, the first aviator in the state of Georgia, who opened the airport in 1917. It is mostly used for general aviation, though it was formerly served by one commercial airline with scheduled passenger service subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Middle Georgia Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located nine nautical miles south of the central business district of Macon, a city in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline.
Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located 11 nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Cordova, a city in the Chugach Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska which has no road access to the outside world. Airline service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Dawson Community Airport is five miles northwest of Glendive, in Dawson County, Montana, United States. The airport has one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Havre City–County Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) west of the central business district of Havre, a city in Hill County, Montana, United States. It is owned by the City of Havre and Hill County. The airport is served by one commercial airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. Per the Bureau of Statistics Havre was the least used airport in the Continental United States flying around 5000 passengers in the year ending 2022.
Lewistown Municipal Airport is two miles southwest of Lewistown, in Fergus County, Montana. It is owned by the city and county.
Miles City Airport or Frank Wiley Field is a city-owned airport two miles northwest of Miles City, in Custer County, Montana, United States. The airport was served by one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. EAS subsidies ended on July 15, 2013, due to subsidy per passenger exceeding $1000, leaving Miles City without scheduled air service.
Sidney–Richland Municipal Airport is a mile west of Sidney, in Richland County, Montana, United States. The airport is served by one airline, subsidized by the federal government's Essential Air Service program at a cost of $3,777,579.
L. M. Clayton Airport is a public airport three miles east of Wolf Point, in Roosevelt County, Montana, United States. The airport is served by one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. Reportedly, it is the smallest airport in the 48 contiguous states with scheduled air service.
McKellar–Sipes Regional Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) west of the central business district of Jackson, a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. It is owned by the city and county. The airport is mostly used for general aviation, and is served by one commercial airline, Southern Airways Express, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Owensboro–Daviess County Airport is a public use airport located three miles southwest of Owensboro, in Daviess County, Kentucky. The airport is owned by both the city and county. One airline schedules passenger flights, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Ogdensburg International Airport is a public airport located in the town of Oswegatchie, 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Ogdensburg, in St. Lawrence County, New York. It is owned by the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, which also owns and operates the Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge, Port of Ogdensburg-Marine Terminal Facility, Commerce Park, Port of Waddington, a medium-heavy industrial park and two short line railroads. The Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority is a New York State public-benefit corporation. The international airport is just outside the city limits on NY 812. It is used for general aviation and commercial service. Scheduled commercial flights are operated by one airline: Contour Airlines.
Brownwood Regional Airport is six miles north of Brownwood, in Brown County, Texas. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation facility. The 21st Cavalry Brigade of the III Corps, U.S. Army uses the airport for training in Apache and Blackhawk helicopters.
Norfolk Regional Airport is four miles southwest of Norfolk, in Madison County, Nebraska. The airport is named for Karl Stefan, a local newspaper editor and radio announcer who served several terms in the United States Congress. Until March 2011 it was known as Karl Stefan Memorial Airport. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation facility.
Excursion Inlet Seaplane Base is a state owned, public use seaplane base located in Excursion Inlet, in the Haines Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. Scheduled passenger service is subsidized by the U.S. Department of Transportation via the Essential Air Service program.
Karluk Airport is a state owned, public use airport located one nautical mile (2 km) east of the central business district of Karluk, a community in the Kodiak Island Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska.
Akhiok Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile (2 km) southwest of the central business district of Akhiok, a city in the Kodiak Island Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska.
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