In the United States there is a vital program that helps connect air service from small communities to major cities. It is called the Essential Air Service Program. According to the DOT, the Essential Air Service Program (EAS) was put into place to guarantee that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before airline deregulation maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service. In general, two subsidized round trips are carried out on 30 to 50 seat aircraft. For smaller aircraft seating nine passengers, additional frequencies may be flown.
Connecting Rural Communities To Major Airline Hubs
Where the EAS program comes into play the most is places like Alaska where aircraft provide critical supplies for the community. Meanwhile in the lower 48, various regional operators fly the route on either regional jet or turboprop aircraft. Depending on the route subsidies may reach as high as $7,963,977 annually such as EAS subsidized service to and from Moab, Utah. In many instances passengers can connect onwards to a full service airline depending on the route. For example, when flying Cape Air to Boston on an EAS route, passengers can transfer to JetBlue.
While it can be easily overlooked, the EAS program in many instances provides a local community with the ability to fly passengers and goods over a contractual period of time without the worry of the operator terminating the route. Attached is the list of EAS routes provided by the DOT released October 2023: