Essential Air Service Preservation Act of 2005

The Essential Air Service Preservation Act of 2005 (H.R. 1119) proposes to eliminate a federal requirement that certain small communities pay a portion of their own commercial flight subsidies. Under the existing pilot program, up to ten communities located near larger hub airports were required to cover 10 percent of the costs to maintain their local air service. By repealing this mandate, the bill ensures that the federal government remains responsible for the full cost of these subsidies, preventing local governments from having to use their own budgets to keep commercial flights operating in their area.