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Federal officials has stated that financial support from a US government program that subsidizes airline routes to remote airfields are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.

The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service program are likely to end as soon as Sunday after the agency moved separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.

Transportation officials is in the process of alerting airline operators about the financial gap and informing communities about potential effects.

Federal authorities provides approximately $350m in annual funding for the program.

Earlier this year, the administration proposed cutting financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it offers connectivity to rural, largely Republican areas.

During the first presidency of Donald Trump, the White House suggested terminating the Essential Air Service program – but lawmakers chose to boost financial support instead.

This initiative typically supports two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. According to the department that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state receive service and 112 communities across the remaining states and the territory that otherwise might not receive any airline service.

“Every state across the country will feel the effects,” the transportation secretary commented during a media briefing, noting the service had bipartisan support. “We don't have the funding for that program moving forward.”