Project 2025 Will Cut the Essential Air Service
Project 2025 plans to cut the Essential Air Service (EAS), a program that ensures rural Americans have access to air travel, especially in areas where commercial airlines would not typically operate.
Source – The Heritage Foundation
This proposal could significantly impact rural communities by reducing access to flights, making travel more expensive and less convenient for those living in smaller towns and remote areas.
Project 2025 Calls for the Following Changes to Air Travel Subsidies:
Elimination of the Essential Air Service Program:
Project 2025 proposes to end the EAS, which currently supports air service to over 100 rural communities. The program is crucial for ensuring that people in rural areas can access affordable flights, especially for essential travel needs like medical appointments or family emergencies. (Page 631).
Cuts to Rural Travel Subsidies:
The plan includes significant cuts to federal subsidies that help maintain affordable air travel options for rural Americans. Without these subsidies, many small-town airports could lose service altogether, forcing residents to drive long distances to larger airports or face higher ticket prices.The Heritage Foundation, the leading creator of Project 2025, has long wanted to end rural air service and force constituents to drive. (Page 631).
Experts warn that ending the EAS could lead to the closure of numerous small airports, leaving rural communities isolated and disconnected from the rest of the country. For instance, without these subsidies, a round-trip flight that currently costs $200 could skyrocket, making it difficult for many families to afford necessary travel and limiting economic prosperity for rural regions.
How Will Losing Rural Airport Funding Hurt You?
Here’s how much each EAS airport stands to lose annually:
