The cost of keeping commercial flights coming and going in little Ely, Nev., is extremely high, because there’s almost no demand for the flights.
So the federal government has gone out of its way to subsidize flights to Ely and a number of other rural airports around the country. Congress strangely labels these subsidized flights to places where few people want to go the “Essential Air Service” program.
Well, in communities that are part of the obviously non-essential “Essential Air Service” program, the subsidies can be incredibly expensive. In Ely, for instance, your tax dollars provide a $3,700 subsidy for every passenger. Without the subsidies, the commercial flights would stop because the normal free-market prices that airlines would have to charge for tickets would be far higher than travelers are willing to pay.
To add to the waste, some flights to and from Ely are empty except for the crew, and some communities served by the Essential Air Service program are within easy driving distance of larger cities that have more affordable flights.
Does this program sound like a sensible use of your taxes?