Document Type
Working Paper
Publication Date
2015
College/Unit
Chambers College of Business and Economics
Document Number
15-18
Department/Program/Center
Economics
Abstract
We find that congressional influences affect the amount of airport subsidies that a congressional district receives from the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The EAS program was passed with the goal of helping to continue commercial air service to rural communities following the deregulation of the airline industry. Using subsidy data from 1998-2014, we find strong evidence that subsidies are higher in districts having congressional representation on the House Transportation Committee. Representation on the House Appropriations Committee is also associated with higher subsidies. Our empirical results, combined with news reports, are consistent with the EAS serving private as well as public interests.
Digital Commons Citation
Hall, Joshua; Ross, Amanda; and Yencha, Christopher, "The Political Economy of the Essential Air Service Program" (2015). Economics Faculty Working Papers Series. 151.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/econ_working-papers/151