"Across the nation airlines are already acting to significantly reduce the number of scheduled flights -- reductions that are particularly harmful for airlines that are dependent on airports with a very small number of flights per day. As we move to ensure that our airlines are protected in the aftermath of last Tuesday's attacks, we cannot forget our smallest airports and the millions of travelers who rely on them. It is crucial that we include provisions that ensure that our smaller airports can maintain all service," said Harkin.
"Air service is critical to a community's economic vitality," said Grassley. "As airlines cut back their scheduled flights, service to smaller communities, such as those in Iowa, will likely be the first to go. We want to ensure that essential air service is funded so that airline service to these communities doesn't evaporate completely."
Even before the terrorist acts of September 11, a number of cities across the nation were hearing about efforts to eliminate service as a result of declining airline profits. It is now likely that efforts to completely eliminate service to many smaller cities will continue and even increase.
The Iowa Senators requested that the financial assistance package contain sufficient funding to allow the Essential Air Service program to fully meet the needs of new cities that qualify for that program. They also called for an expansion of the existing Essential Air Service program to provide a level of assistance for cities now served by three or fewer carriers where substantial reduction in service is imminent.