Nearly 200 remote communities could find themselves cut off from civilization if the government shutdown lasts through the weekend when funding for their rural airports runs dry – and the outlook for major travel hubs isn’t much brighter.

The Essential Air Service program (EAS) — which subsidizes flights at more than 170 remote airports across all 50 states – only has enough cash to last through Sunday, and will stop reimbursing small time airport operations until the federal government reopens when it runs dry, the US Transportation Department announced Monday.

That means airports, airlines, and pilots could have no choice but to shut down – leaving thousands without access to work, hospitals, and other critical services they depend on to sustain their lives in remote communities.

Mo

See Full Page