What Economic Recovery? East Idaho airline service shuts down, just in time for Xmas! No more taxpayer subsidy?

Beginning December 31, no more SeaPort Airline flights from Idaho Falls to Boise.

SeaPort Airlines only started the route back in July, and of course local east Idaho officials touted it as a sign of local economic recovery.  Airline officials say they will try to issue refunds for people with tickets for after the December 31 shut down.

SeaPort Airlines is based in Portland, Oregon.  The ending of their Idaho Falls route is a surprise, especially since on November 14 it was reported that they were in the running for a Federally funded route from Jackson, Tennessee, to Nashville, Tennessee.

So far there is no official explanation for the cancellation of the Idaho Falls to Boise route.  Could it have something to do with Federal lawmakers voting to eliminate airline subsidies for regional airport routes that are within a 90 miles (144 kilometers) radius of a major metropolitan airport?