Wither DFW International?

The latest issue of The New Republic wonders, quite simply, "What will happen when America can't afford to fly?" And no, surprisingly, the answer isn't, "Transporters." It's a little more doom-and-gloom-scented, as Bradford Plumer takes a look at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and portrays it as the center of an...

By Robert Wilonsky

August 11, 2008

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The latest issue of The New Republic wonders, quite simply, "What will happen when America can't afford to fly?" And no, surprisingly, the answer isn't, "Transporters." It's a little more doom-and-gloom-scented, as Bradford Plumer takes a look at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and portrays it as the center of an economy waiting to collapse:

In the '80s, Dallas-Fort Worth's status as a major air hub brought in hundreds of thousands of distribution and manufacturing jobs, along with a conglomeration of high-tech firms that now rivals Silicon Valley ... Dismal fates could await areas with high per capita concentrations of airport employment, such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, and Tucson.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport CEO Jeffrey Fegan isn't worried about the distant future. He's just trying to make it through the fall. Autumn, I mean. "The fall" doesn't sound as good. --Robert Wilonsky

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