Alaska Airlines pledges to continue flights as government shutdown jeopardizes Essential Air Service payments

Though the federal government shutdown jeopardizes the program that subsidizes scheduled air service to more than 170 cities nationwide - including Wrangell and Petersburg - Alaska Airlines has said it will continue uninterrupted service to its contract communities in the state.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, which manages the almost 50-year-old Essential Air Service program, had notified participating carriers that funding would run out on Oct. 12. But the department later sent out a second notice, announcing it had "secured additional funding to ... maintain subsidy payments through...

 
 

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