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Toledo Express Airport has fallen victim to an economy still in the throes of contraction, as have so many other business enterprises. Passenger volume at the airport continues to decline and promises to expand service with more flights to choice locations never take off.

But Toledo Express is too valuable to the region to write off as a facility with no future. Local civic and business leaders have brainstormed before on how to infuse new life into the regional asset. They must do so again.

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority had to drop its dream of offering direct air service to New York when interest wasn't sufficient enough to maintain it. Officials are hoping the next best thing will be twice-daily flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul.

They've applied for a marketing grant to help Delta Air Lines introduce flights two times a day on Nov. 1. Port President Paul Toth says the success of the Twin Cities routes is vital to Toledo's comeback.

After the Toledo-New York talks fell through with Delta, and a backup Toledo-Newark possibility with JetAmerica was not successful, Toledo Express had to find an appealing replacement.

But while much is flying on Delta to Minneapolis, Toledo officials cannot relent their ongoing commitment to attract more prospects to the market. Regardless of how slow the industry is moving today, Toledo Express must aggressively sell itself as a convenient and cost-effective alternative to other airport transportation.

If, as Mr. Toth says, the port authority has "a lot of irons in the fire" for local air service development, let's hear them and pursue them. Toledo Express must position itself now to capitalize on eventual economic recovery or, without doubt, another airport will land the opportunity.