Here you go, all of the info you would ever want about Song---from a press release
ress Release Source: Delta Air Lines
Song Takes to the Air
Saturday May 17, 6:30 am ET
The World's Most Innovative Low-Fare Service Debuts Boston Service
First Flight Departs from Boston to West Palm Beach
-0- *T
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2003-- Unique Amenities - Video on Demand, Live Satellite TV - Will Enrich
Travel Experience and Fit Customers' Individual and Changing Needs
Branded Food and Beverage Offerings Available for Purchase
Schedule to Expand to over 144 Daily Flights, Primarily between
Northeast and Key Florida Leisure Destinations
Song(TM), Delta Air Lines' new service developed to change
customer expectations for high-quality, low-fare air travel, begins
service from Boston on Saturday, May 17 with its maiden voyage from
Logan International Airport to Palm Beach International Airport.
The inaugural flight departs Boston at 8:10 a.m. and is scheduled
to arrive in West Palm Beach at 11:16 a.m. Additionally, the first
flight from West Palm Beach departs at 12:10 p.m. and is scheduled to
arrive in Boston at 3:11 p.m. Song will initially be scheduled for two
daily roundtrip flights between Boston and West Palm Beach, and plans
to add service from Boston to Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Ft.
Myers.
"A new era in air travel has taken off," said John Selvaggio,
president of Song. "We are reintroducing fun, excitement and, most
importantly, choice into the travel experience; we are very excited to
be introducing service to Boston."
"With low fares, roomy leather seats and frequent non-stop flights
to Florida, Logan passengers are getting the latest in airline
service," said Massport CEO, Craig P. Coy. "The Boston market
continues to attract premier customer service and innovation from the
world's airlines and we are proud to welcome Song to Logan
International Airport."
Song, which will provide direct non-stop service initially between
cites in the Northeast United States and key Florida leisure
destinations, plus Atlanta, Las Vegas and San Juan, will offer over
144 daily non-stop flights by October. Additionally, Song will service
all three New York metro area airports - JFK, LaGuardia and Newark -
the only low-fare service to do so.
Song will meet air travelers' individual and ever-changing needs
through a variety of innovations, several of which are industry
firsts. These include:
-- Regular updates to amenities and services based on customer
feedback. Customers have the ability to vote on products and
services via the Song Web site:
www.flysong.com.
-- Web site to allow passengers to find low fares across a range
of dates. When searching for flights at flysong.com, customers
can instantly view additional low fares by selecting a wider
range of dates rather than starting the search process from
the beginning, for an experience that offers more information
and flexibility.
-- The most advanced in-flight entertainment technology available
(October 2003). Song is partnering with Matsu**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**a Avionics
Systems and EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ
ISH - News)
and its DISH Network(TM) 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 such as in-flight shopping and on-line product
purchase capabilities.
-- Premium branded beverage and food choices available on-board
for purchase, including:
-- Stolichnaya Bloody Mary cocktails and Kahlua White
Russians
-- The "Song Sunrise," a cocktail created for Song containing
a blend of Stolichnaya Vodka and fresh cranberry and
orange juices and served in the first-ever in-flight
martini glasses
-- Pizzeria Uno pizzas
-- Cinnabon Breakfast Coffee Cakes
-- Lender's bagels
-- Yoplait and Stonyfield Farms organic yogurts
-- Fresh, seasonal organic fruit
-- Complimentary Coca Cola(TM) products, including Dasani water.
-- A simple unrestricted low-fare pricing structure with most
one-way fares expected to be no more than $299.* Song will
provide customers simple, user-friendly pricing options,
including 14-day, 7-day, 3-day, walk-up fares and sale fares.
Fares will not require a Saturday-night stay.
-- 33 inches of seat pitch, or more legroom, throughout the
entire aircraft. This is the most legroom available from any
low-fare service's fleet and more than most major carriers.
-- Frequent flyer benefits through the Delta SkyMiles(R) program
and other partner programs.
-- Simple, one-step connections with Delta's worldwide service,
including interline with SkyTeam(TM) members and other partner
airlines.
"Our customers will play a major role in the development of Song,"
said Selvaggio, a 30-year veteran of the airline industry. "They will
be able to vote products and services onto the aircraft. They will be
able to make each flight what they want it to be."
Selvaggio added, "We've put a great deal of thought into
everything we will offer, understanding that each time a person flies,
he or she has different expectations. They may be on business and want
the ability to prepare for a meeting. They may be flying with children
and need something to keep them entertained. Or they may be flying for
pleasure and are looking for a way to relax on board. We will be able
to serve each of those customers on Song, on every flight."
Assets Unique Among Low-Fare Segment
Technology: Unlike its competitors, Song has the advantage to
leverage Delta's world-class technological infrastructure to create
the world's first all-digital airline product, thereby offering
customers a wide-range of conveniences, including:
-- Dedicated Web site -
www.flysong.com. On the Web, Delta's
technology infrastructure will support flysong.com, a simple,
easy to use, information-rich site on which customers can
purchase tickets, find lower fares, check-in for flights and
print boarding cards from the convenience of their home or
office.
-- First-ever book to ticket automation. (Available in fall 2003)
Over the phone, customers will book and complete purchases
directly with Song through voice-recognition technology.
-- Self-service kiosks. At the airport, self-service kiosks will
continue to help customers avoid lines by electronically
executing high-demand transactions.
-- Efficient gate and boarding. At the gate, exclusive gate
information displays will ensure that customers remain
informed up-to-the-minute. Additionally, gate and boarding
technology will facilitate efficient, expedited boarding.
Cost savings through higher aircraft utilization: Delta has
developed a process that facilitates Song's aircraft utilization rates
to be among the highest in the industry - 12.7 hours per day, a 22
percent improvement over mainline Delta's average 757 aircraft.
"Song is an aggressive initiative to compete in the low-fare
market," concluded Selvaggio. "We will not only offer low fares but
lower operating costs, so we can be successful where previous attempts
by other major airlines have failed."
Song is an innovative low-fare service, which will provide
non-stop flights between the Northeast and key Florida leisure
destinations, plus Atlanta, Las Vegas and San Juan, with over 144
daily flights on 36 Boeing 757 aircraft. All Song flights are operated
by Delta Air Lines. Song tickets can be purchased by visiting
flysong.com or by calling 1-800-FlySong.
If ALL of this actually becomes true and the experience is EXACTLY like this---I think Southwest and Spirit might have some good competition on the East Coast, and eventually transcon. Jetblue has done very well with it's entertainment package, and Song will have a better one. We shall see.
Bye Bye--General Lee
