U.S. Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service: What It Is and Why It's Needed
Every year, people around the country pay their taxes and begin to complain about which government programs are necessary and which are not. And every year the same question comes up: why does the government shell out millions of dollars in federal aid to airlines in order to fly — in some cases empty aircraft — to cities nobody has ever heard of? Because it’s essential. History of EAS Essential Air Service has played an interesting role in this country…
Pueblo Receives Six EAS Proposals
The Essential Air Service (EAS) program is getting more interesting with the introduction of new airlines trying to snap up these EAS contracts like Breeze and JetBlue, the latter of which has won a contract. Plus, the recently passed FAA…
Sun Country Could Lose Its Only EAS Contract
Sun Country faces the potential loss of its only Essential Air Service (EAS) contract in Eau Claire, Wis., as the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Commission has voted to recommend a different carrier. The decision comes as the current $6.5 million…
Congress Limits Long Distance EAS Routes
In the recently passed FAA Reauthorization Act, Congress added some new rules that affect the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, including limits on certain routes and how airlines can reduce or limit service. There is one new requirement for EAS…
United Blasts DOT for Choosing JetBlue as EAS Carrier
Earlier this month, JetBlue was awarded its first-ever Essential Air Service (EAS) contract in the town of Presque Isle, Maine. In the continental U.S., this contract is worth the most with an annual subsidy of nearly $11 million. JetBlue, United,…
JetBlue Awarded First-Ever Essential Air Service Contract
After months of consideration, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) officially has a new air carrier in the EAS game: JetBlue. On June 4, 2024, the DOT selected JetBlue as the next EAS carrier in the community of Presque Isle, Maine. …