(a) Except in Alaska, no more than one intermediate stop is permitted in providing essential air service between the eligible place and its hub, unless otherwise agreed to with the community. In cases where an eligible place receives service to two hubs, however, more than one intermediate stop is permitted between that place and its secondary hub.

(b) In Alaska, more than one intermediate stop is permitted if required by low traffic levels at the eligible place or by the long distance between the eligible place and its hub.

(c) The Department may specify nonstop service when necessary to make the service viable.

(d) Where an eligible place normally is an intermediate stop that shares available capacity with another place, it is the policy of the Department either to require additional capacity (more flights or larger aircraft) between the eligible place and its hub or to specify some turnaround operations on that route segment.