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Federal officials has announced that funds from a US government program that supports airline routes to remote airfields are scheduled to end as early as this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.

The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as soon as Sunday after the agency moved separate financial resources from the Federal Aviation Administration as an advance.

The department is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and alerting communities about potential effects.

The government provides approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.

Earlier this year, the administration suggested reducing financial support by $308m for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.

During the first presidency of the former president, the White House proposed eliminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress chose to boost funding instead.

This initiative typically subsidizes two round trips each day using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in the northern state have air access and 112 locations across the remaining states and Puerto Rico that likely wouldn't have any airline service.

“Every state across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief stated during a media briefing, observing the program had bipartisan support. “We lack the funding for that program going forward.”