Mayors lead Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport mission to European destinations

DFW AIRPORT, TX – The mayors of Dallas and Fort Worth will be leading a Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport delegation to Europe from June 6-13. The mission supports nonstop passenger and cargo flights to Europe, which are among the longest-standing routes at DFW, and will focus on developing business relationships and travel connections.

Leading the mission are City of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, City of Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, DFW Airport Board of Directors Chair Lillie Biggins, DFW Airport Board Member Bernice J. Washington and DFW Airport CEO Sean Donohue. Meetings are scheduled in the United Kingdom and Germany.

“DFW Airport is an international business epicenter contributing more than $31 billion dollars in economic impact every year,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “The Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area has more than 10,000 company headquarters – the largest concentration of corporate headquarters in the United States and is the most business-friendly region in America. International travel links world economies, builds partnerships and grows our respective communities. We’re all about connecting the world through DFW and that is an environment for growth.”

The U.K. tops the list of countries represented by international companies in the DFW region, and Germany is in the top five. Among DFW-based businesses, 18 companies are listed on the FORTUNE 500, the Forbes Global 2000 lists 22 corporations, and eight companies are shown on the Forbes list of largest privately held firms in America. More than 200 companies from 34 countries run their U.S. headquarters or substantial operations from locations within the region. Over 140 companies from the United Kingdom and Germany have a presence in North Texas.

“The relationships we have with Germany and the U.K. go back a long time,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “Our regions have strong industry connections across diverse business sectors, such as aerospace and defense, technology, construction, energy, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and of course, travel and tourism. A few companies representing these industries include Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter, Smith & Nephew, DB Schenker, ExxonMobil, ALDI, BBA Aviation, BAE Systems, Balfour Beatty, Daimler, Siemens and ThyssenKrupp, with an extensive list of additional companies. Business ties further reinforce our connections, and this mission gives us an opportunity to share and build on these relationships.”

For more than 30 years, nonstop flights to Europe have been the mainstays of international travel from DFW. During this mission, American Airlines celebrates its 30th year of service to Frankfurt. Lufthansa, which has served DFW for nearly three decades, turns 60 years old. British Airways has been operating since the early days of aviation and has served DFW since 1986.

“Flights to Europe are among DFW’s most well-established routes. These routes transport customers and cargo, and are a vital link for trade and tourism to the U.S., to the North Texas region and the State of Texas,” said Sean Donohue, CEO for DFW Airport. “It’s important to advance relationships with our airline partners in Europe. One of our top priorities is to grow the demand and support for these important routes, increase awareness with key stakeholders in both regions, and develop nonstop service to new destinations that connect DFW to the world.”

Three passenger airlines operate nonstop flights to London and Frankfurt from DFW — American Airlines, British Airways and Lufthansa. Lufthansa Cargo serves Manchester, England from DFW as well. These routes contribute significantly to the regional economy. One wide-body jet with daily international service to the DFW region generates an economic impact of approximately $200 million year over year, and air cargo transport contributes more than $16 billion annually to the Dallas/Fort Worth economy.

“At DFW, we are focused on growing international passenger and cargo airline service. As we do that, we are committed to providing an outstanding, one-of-a-kind experience for our diverse customer base,” said Lillie Biggins, Chair, DFW Airport Board of Directors. “It also helps that DFW Airport is one of the lowest cost airports in the United States, which attracted major airlines through the years. Our goal is to continue to be a leader in operations, customer service and excellence at every level.”

DFW is committed to maintaining and expanding service from its long-term partners. Flights to Germany and the U.K. are among the top international destinations for DFW and are included in DFW’s strategic focus for air service.

Since 2011, DFW has added 29 new international routes, which includes 21 new international cities, as well as nine new airlines. DFW is also one of seven airports worldwide serving more than 200 destinations.