By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
With the ongoing federal government shutdown, the subsidy funding for the national Essential Air Service (EAS) program was due to expire at midnight on Sunday.
Hays Regional Airport Director Jamie Salter said Thursday she received the notice from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday.
Two days later, Salter received an updated memo from the department funding has been found for the subsidies to run through Nov. 2.
Hays Regional Airport is one of five Kansas airports that receive Essential Air Service funding.
The service provides subsidies to air carriers to operate out of rural airports for routes that are not profitable. The service connects small- and medium-sized communities with larger airports.
SkyWest, the regional air carrier serving Hays with daily United flights to Denver, receives an annual $6.5 million subsidy for commercial flight service for Hays.
Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal and Salina airports also utilize the Essential Air Service program.
Salter said SkyWest is assessing the situation.