The announcement Thursday that Raleigh-Durham International Airport will be adding a non-stop flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport next May marks the culmination of years of work by airport executives, business leaders and elected officials in the Triangle.

It also marks a $75 million gamble for Delta Airlines. The carrier is dedicating one of its 164-seat Boeing 757-200 jets to the daily service from RDU to Paris, which is set to begin May 12. It’s the same jet Delta uses for international…