It’s no secret that the Southeast Michigan economy is struggling.  That’s why the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) takes seriously our responsibility to operate safe, efficient, and competitive airports that provide critical transportation links to points around the globe.  At Detroit Metro Airport, innovations which lower costs have helped our airport to continue to attract more flights to cities such as Paris and Frankfurt, new destinations such as Dusseldorf, Germany, and Sarasota, Florida, and new airlines such as Frontier, AirTran, and Air France—just to name a few.  Such growing flight activity helps to ensure the Detroit region’s participation in the global economy.  Not only does our airport’s competitive cost structure create more jobs at the airport, but new airlines, new service and expanded facilities all create new jobs.  DTW’s expansive air service helps make our region more attractive for businesses to locate and expand in Michigan.  In fact, although WCAA directly employs just over 700 people, the airport is home to more than 18,600 jobs when you include each of the airlines, concessionaires, ground handlers, government agencies and other organizations operating at DTW.  A University of Michigan-Dearborn study found that activity at DTW stimulates more than 71,000 jobs throughout the State of Michigan.  By keeping airport costs low and creating new passenger conveniences, WCAA is doing its part to help boost our region’s economy now and into the future.