On Monday, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA) introduced legislation to expand air travel into rural America while reducing congestion at major airports.
Meuser introduced two bills – the Supporting Middle America’s Airports Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-MD), and the Essential Air Service Reform Act.
The Supporting Middle America’s Airports Act would reopen the Essential Air Service (EAS) program application process for three years and allow small, rural airports to receive more support for providing air service, while the Essential Air Service Reform Act would modify some provisions of the EAS to reduce the program’s cost and set it on a more fiscally responsible course, he said.
“For too long, families in rural areas have been forced to travel several hours and 100+ miles to airports in big cities,” Meuser said. “These bills will not only expand access to air service to millions of Americans, but they will also serve as the answer to the congestion issues at major airports – all while using existing infrastructure. In the wake of COVID, we’ve all experienced the frustrations of an airport past capacity, and the influx of routes and passengers has clearly stretched the FAA’s capabilities to the limits. By opening up additional opportunities for regional airports to expand, it is my hope we can restore commercial flights in Williamsport and make air travel more convenient and stress-free for all Americans. These bills are a win for travelers in Districts like ours and will benefit the economies of rural communities across the country.”
The Essential Air Service (EAS) program was created in 1978 to ensure rural communities were not left out of air service after Congress deregulated airlines. The program was extended permanently in 1996 and currently assists 175 communities across the United States, officials said. However, the program’s eligibility tightened in 2012 when Congress limited access to the program to airports already enrolled in it, causing many small communities to lose access to airspace, the Congressmen’s office said.
“It’s about time we gave rural communities their fair share in federal airport funding opportunities,” Trone said. “Not only will these grants and programs allow more folks to access air service, but they also create good-paying jobs and boost local tourism.”