Quotulatiousness

August 8, 2011

Subsidized flights from remote locations

Filed under: Government, Politics, USA — Tags: , , , — Nicholas @ 12:57

Steve Chapman knows where to get the “best” deal in government subsidy of domestic flights:

As a resident of Illinois, I’d never had any particular desire to fly from McCook, Nebraska, to Denver. But lately, I’ve been looking for an opportunity. Turns out the federal government is willing to pay me a handsome fee to do it.

Oh, I wouldn’t get the cash directly. But the Department of Transportation provides more than $2 million to subsidize that particular route, which works out to about $1,000 for every passenger. My fare, meanwhile, would be less than $150.

I could get an even bigger hand on the hop from Lewistown, Montana, to Billings—$1,343. But if I’m feeling the need for indulgence, there is nothing to beat the flight from Ely, Nevada, to Denver, for which Washington will kick in $3,720. For that sum, of course, it could buy me a perfectly functional used car.

These extravagances are part of the Essential Air Service initiative, which is part of the reason for the recent congressional impasse over a bill to keep the Federal Aviation Administration operating.

2 Comments

  1. This is what happens when governments meddle in business… they should just let them sink or swim on their own. I despise government handouts to businesses that would have no right staying in business without the dole.

    Comment by Dwayne — August 9, 2011 @ 01:01

  2. This is another good example of a “temporary” government program. They keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

    As he points out in the original post, the flights are of great symbolic importance to senators from the more remote states, so despite the program being an almost total waste of money, there are not enough votes in the senate to kill it.

    Comment by Nicholas — August 9, 2011 @ 08:39

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