49 U.S.C. § 41732 — Basic essential air service

(a) Basic essential air service under section 41733 is scheduled passenger and cargo transportation: (1) to a medium or large hub less than 650 miles from an eligible place, unless the hub or place is in a noncontiguous State; or (2) to a small hub or nonhub when the place is in Alaska or the nearest medium or large hub is more than 400 miles away. (b) It must include at least: (1)(A) outside Alaska, two daily round trips six days each week, with no more than one intermediate stop per flight; or (B) in Alaska, service at least as good as in 1976 or two round trips each week, whichever is greater, unless the Secretary and Alaska’s appropriate State authority agree to another level after consulting the community; (2) flights at reasonable times considering connecting passengers, at prices not excessive compared with prevailing prices for similar service between similar places; and (3) two-engine aircraft with two pilots, unless the place has not received scheduled service using that combination for at least 60 consecutive operating days at any time since October 31, 1978. (c) Despite section 41733(e), on an eligible place’s request the Secretary may wholly or partly waive subsections (a) and (b), or section 41734(a)–(c), for a limited period the Secretary sets.