Song Takes to the Air; The World's Most Innovative Low-Fare Service Debuts Boston Service; First Flight Departs from Boston to West Palm Beach
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 Matsushita Avionics Systems and EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) 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.
(C) The Coca Cola Company. "Coca-Cola" is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.
--30--SS/ny*
CONTACT: For Song:
Dan Klores Communications
Sean Cassidy, 212/981-5233
OR
Public Relations
212/685-4300
KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS FLORIDA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TRAVEL TRANSPORTATION AIRLINES PRODUCT
SOURCE: Delta Air Lines
AI
