DL low-cost carrier to be named "Song"

[boscenter]

I hope this is a joke....

Delta Air Lines' New Low-Fare Startup Airline Will Be Named 'Song,' Magazine Says

ATLANTA (AP) -- Delta Air Lines' new low-fare startup airline will be named "Song," Time magazine reported in its edition to be released Monday.

The low-fare carrier is an attempt by Delta to reproduce the success of rival JetBlue Airways, a three-year-old New York-based airline, analysts have said. Song will begin flying Boeing 757s in April from New York to Florida, an area where JetBlue has found success against Delta.

Deanna Baker, a spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Delta, on Sunday declined to confirm the name of the startup carrier.

"We have not announced a name at this time and we haven't announced we're going to announce a name," Baker said.

Delta, the nation's third-largest airline, plans to avoid its hubs with Song and will fly the unit's jets more hours per day than the mainline operations.

The magazine reported that Delta also attempted to copy JetBlue's success by working with the designer of that carrier's uniforms for Song. The designer declined, Time said.

Song would offer only coach class seating with one-way fares below $299.

Delta is expected to end the operations of its Florida-based Delta Express unit.

 

[greg20]

Not sure...

This rumor has been floating around for some time now, probably about a month - 6 weeks. Apparently, Joe Brancatelli (sp?) of "The Travel Insider" weekly travel newsletter was looking at new domain name registrations and stumbled upon "Songair.com", "Song-airlines.com", "Songairlines.com", etc. Those might not have been the exact names but you catch my drift. He saw that the registrant was a marketing/branding/consulting firm that DL uses and concluded that it must be the new LCC's name, based on circumstantial evidence. Keep in mind that these and other companies snatch up domain names by the 100s/1000s just to secure them for possible future use, or to sell. This particular company has many other clients too, of course. It looks like Time picked up on the rumor, which was then picked up by AP. I don't know what the true new name will be. It could very well be "Song", but I would regard this story as suspect until we have an official PR from DL.

 

[flint4xx]

If it is the name, I'd be embarrassed to say it on the radio.

 

[PilotMonkey]

...their first mistake!

 

[Freight Dog]

That's just........ cute!

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

I agree it sounds like a joke or a trial balloon. I can hear the people responsible for coming up with the name, "we locked ourselves in a room for two weeks and didn't eat until we came up with a great name".
If it is legit the next fews names will be stupid, and then broke.
But what do I know? I never thought rap music would be around as long as it has .

 

[Race Pilot]

I guess the customers on there will be having SOOOOO much fun that they will be singing the entire flight, hence the beautiful name. On JetBlue they can watch real entertainers sing for them on their individual Live TV screen from their comfy leather seat.

I've been told that JetBlue entertained the name "Taxi" for a short time. Wouldn't that suck, "Taxi 11, taxi to Rwy 4L via Bravo and Kilo taxiways." "Taxi 11, roger." "Ground, American 60, was that clearance to taxi for us or for Taxi????????"

 

[Dep676]

As long as the check is good and you have an airplane to fly. Who cares what name is on the check. I don't think that will stop people from sending a resume in.

 

[Beantown]

Hey Race Pilot, are you still going to fly for Roush after you are at Jet Blue? I heard that he was considering getting rid of the 72's, True? Sorry this is a little off the subjuct. -Bean

 

[Dep676]

It's a Glock 36 a compact .45 cal. It's nice gun good for concealing if you can do that where you live. I don't have one but I have a Glock 22 a .40 cal.

 

[Broke in CVG]

How about the callsign... "Cattle"

Because that's what a 757 packed full of people will feel like heading for Florida.

 

[pipers]

I heard about this on NPR this morning...they said that the first route was going to start flying in April from JFK to Flordia...Jetblue territory. Think they are going to have some of the Delta furloughs fly these before they take apps?

 

[bobbysamd]

Song Airlines

I do have to admit that "Song" would be a ridiculous name. Maybe "Songbird" would be better... maybe.

Sorry, the name is taken. Sky King used it during the '50s when he named his Bamboo Bomber and 310.

Song Airlines, eh? Perhaps they could adopt Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue" as their jingle. Except that jetBlue may disapprove.

You know, years ago, airlines had great names. E.g., Challenger Airlines, Monarch Airlines, which were two of the old Frontier's original components. Metro Airlines. Air West. I agree with all opinions above that Song Airlines is lame.

 

[fr8doggydog]

That big a marketing department and the best they could come up with was "Song" ?!? The whole group should be fired. This could make the Continental Lite fiasco look like a major success. BTW, 757s have already replaced DLX 737s on JFK-FLL.

 

[KingAirer]

Its amazing that all the years of college represented at Delta and the best thing they can come up with is "Song". Guess they wanted Jazz and Tango but the canadians already had those!

As bad as the name is though, i think that they fact that its not Delta XXXX will help sell the fact that it is a "new" airline and a lowfare competitor. I think the Airlines that use the name of their airline within the name of the "new lowfare" version, create an image for the people that its really the same airline. WIth SONG coming out people will hopefully see it as a totally different airline, something new and exciting like jetblue...Of course Metrojet ruins my theory.

 

[DoinTime]

And I thought Pinnacle was pretty dam stupid.

 

[B737G]

I heard about this on NPR this morning...they said that the first route was going to start flying in April from JFK to Flordia...Jetblue territory. Think they are going to have some of the Delta furloughs fly these before they take apps?

Current Delta pilots will fly the LCC routes. Over the course of their rotation, 757/767 pilots will have some legs that are on Songair and others on mainline. They will be paid mainline rates while everyone else is paid less than their mainline counterparts. This is the opposite of how the groups are paid on Express.

 

[skydiverdriver]

Perhaps it refers to the fact that you can fly for a "song." That's an old saying for all of you young people.

 

[greg20]

Song's IFE

Race Pilot said:

On JetBlue they can watch real entertainers sing for them on their individual Live TV screen from their comfy leather seat.

This is from the Song PR:


"The most advanced in-flight entertainment technology available (October 2003). Song is partnering with Matsushi ta (flightinfo.com didn't like "Matsush ita") Avionics Systems and EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network™ satellite TV service to provide a complement of on-board amenities, which will include:

Personal video monitors at every seat with "touch screen" technology and credit card "swipe" capability.

Live, all-digital satellite television programming from DISH Network.

Digitally-streamed MP3 audio programming, which will allow passengers to create a personal play list from an extensive library of audio files.

Pay-per-view programming available on demand, which will feature a wide-range of current offerings for all ages.

Multi-player interactive games that allow play between passengers.

Interactive iXplor moving map program with zoom capabilities and points of interest information.

Connecting gate information broadcast directly to personal in-seat video monitors.

Expandable in-flight entertainment technology which will facilitate the opportunity to integrate additional services in the future:

In-seat Internet connectivity

In-flight shopping and on-line product purchase capabilities

33 inches of legroom throughout the entire aircraft. This is the most legroom available from any low-fare service’s fleet and more than most major carriers.

<<end PR>>

JetBlue will no longer have a competitive advantage in available IFE or seating layouts.

 

[MarriedToIt]

Website is up.

www.songair.com

 

[MetroSheriff]

Well the website is a hoot.

 

[generaltso]

Not much on that website, but it is nicely done

 

[VFR on Top]

Perhaps it refers to the fact that you can fly for a "song."

Actually, I think it refers to what they'll be expecting the flight crews to work for.

 

[greg20]

VFR On Top said:

Actually, I think it refers to what they'll be expecting the flight crews to work for.

Actually, the flight crews are going to be treated exactly like DL mainline and are going to be paid current mainline wages.

 

[snowback]

The flight crews ARE Delta Mainline working under the same contract, with same work rules, pay and benefits. I'd guess the Song trips will be built into our regular trip rotations.

Everyone else will be employed apart from Delta.

 

[MetroSheriff]

Actually, I think it refers to what they'll be expecting the flight crews to work for.

Swing.....and a miss!!!!

 

[azpilot]

Maybe Song can take advice from AOL/Time Warner and lose 100 Billion dollars in one year. How the hell do you do that? Glad someone could top all of the troubles in the airline industry.

I agree that a unique name vs Delta X is a good idea. I don't see how they think they are going to save so much money using the same crews.

If folks are loyal to JetBlue they will do just fine.

 

[KingAirer]

Im going to go against the grain here and say I think they may do OK. They have or will have a comperable product to Jetblue, plus the benifits of codeshares, connections, FF miles, etc...As i mentioned before i think the whole new look, even it is a bad name, will help their chances.

 

[dmspilot00]

So with a name like "Song," are they going to have a "Theme song" to go with their airline? They can play it on the TV monitors in the 757. US Airways already plays this horrendously corny panflute music in the introduction to their safety video.

 

[VFR on Top]

The flight crews ARE Delta Mainline working under the same contract, with same work rules, pay and benefits.

Okay, then would somebody care to explain how exactly DL is going to make money with the same cost structure as mainline ops, more $$ spent on IFE setups, paint jobs, etc, but lower fares? It can't be solely load factors, I thought those were doing okay again (albeit on reduced schedules).

So with a name like "Song," are they going to have a "Theme song" to go with their airline? They can play it on the TV monitors in the 757.

They already do, it's on their website -- www.flysong.com. I've actually been listening to it in the background for the better part of the evening.