Essential Air Service

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]