Tokuda, Begich introduce bipartisan bill to strengthen reliability of Essential Air Service flights

US Reps. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawai‘i, and Nick Begich, R-Alaska, introduced a bill Friday to require Essential Air Service carriers to have a plan to accommodate passengers in the event of unexpected cancellations.

The Essential Air Service (EAS) Reliability Act would require carriers receiving EAS contracts to submit contingency plans for non-weather-related disruptions such as maintenance issues. The measure seeks to prevent unexpected cancellations that can leave residents in isolated areas without access to essential transportation.

“Reliable air service is more than just convenience, it’s an essential lifeline,” Tokuda said. “Our communities need consistent air service, and we can’t afford to let essential services be jeopardized by poor planning or unreliable operations.”

The EAS program subsidizes scheduled passenger flights to more than 100 small regional airports nationwide. In Hawai‘i, the program supports flights to Lāna‘i, Kaulapapa, Hāna and Kamuela (on Hawai‘i Island)—all currently served by Mokulele Airlines.

Earlier this year, Mokulele grounded its entire fleet without warning, disrupting service to all four locations. The incident marked the second prolonged interruption of EAS routes in the state within a year, stranding passengers and cutting off access to health care, jobs and government services.

Tokuda has pushed for greater oversight of EAS providers following the outages. At her request, the US Department of Transportation added reporting requirements to Mokulele’s EAS contracts for Lāna‘i and Kaulapapa.

The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Kimberlyn King-Hinds of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Hillary Scholten of Michigan.

Text of the bill can be found here.