What constitutes the Essential Air Service (EAS) requirements for an airport?

The Essential Air Service (EAS) program was established to ensure that small communities maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service. A key requirement for an airport to qualify for EAS funding is that it must have received air carrier service prior to the airline deregulation that took place on October 24, 1978. This historical significance is crucial because the EAS program was created to protect the air service and connectivity for communities that could potentially lose their transportation links due to market-driven decisions following deregulation.

Being located in a metropolitan area, offering non-stop flights to major cities, or requiring all flights to use jet aircraft does not align with the fundamental criteria that define the EAS guidelines. Instead, the focus remains on preserving existing services for communities that were already connected to the national air transportation system before the landmark changes in airline regulation.