Song (airline)
Encyclopedia
Song, LLC was a low-cost "airline
within an airline" brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines
.
Song's main focus was on leisure traffic between the northeastern United States and Florida
, a market where it competed with JetBlue Airways
. It also operated flights between Florida and the West Coast, and from the Northeast to the west coast.
Song's aircraft
were fitted with leather seats and free personal entertainment systems at every seat, with audio MP3 programmable selections, trivia games that could be played against other passengers, a flight tracker, and satellite television (provided by the DISH Network
). Song offered free beverages, but charged for meals and liquor. Both brand-name snack boxes and healthy organic meals were offered. The flight safety instructions were sung or otherwise artistically interpreted, depending on the cabin crew. In addition to crew uniforms designed by Kate Spade
, customized cocktails created by nightlife impresario Rande Gerber
and an in-flight exercise program designed by New York City
fitness guru David Barton, the airline created its own distinct mark in the industry.http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/biz/features/14720/index1.html The airline operated more than 200 flights a day and carried over ten million passengers.
Song's last flight took off on April 30, 2006. Service shifted to mainline Delta on May 1, 2006.
On January 1, 2008, Delta began repainting the last aircraft bearing the Song livery into mainline Delta Air Lines colors.
Before Song began service on April 15, 2003 as a low-cost Delta brand, the airline engaged in a long-term branding strategy that identified a particular strata of hip, style-conscious professional women as their target market. Song's goal was to meet not only their consumers' travel needs but social needs also. Portions of this branding process are documented in the 2004 Frontline
episode "The Persuaders" and in the episode's additional materials. The name, brand identity, cabin interiors and airport environments were designed by Landor Associates in New York.
It was promoted by The Apprentice television show, and they had a boutique called "song in the city" to showcase the product in the SoHo district of New York http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3282879/Song-Brings-Unique-In-Air.html. Boston
's Prudential Center
also hosted a storefront location.
On October 28, 2005, Delta announced plans to incorporate Song's aircraft into Delta's mainline domestic long haul operation beginning in May 2006. Eventually the 48 Boeing 757-200 airplanes were converted to include 26 first class seats and repainted with Delta colors. The eradication of the airline was seen by aviation analysts as a move to reduce costs and emerge from bankruptcy.
Song was officially removed from future Delta schedules on February 22, 2006. Song's final flight was #2056 from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to Orlando International Airport
, which departed at 11:48 p.m. on April 30, 2006.
Song's fleet consisted of 47 Boeing 757
narrow-body, fitted in a 199 seats, all-economy class, more-legroom configuration and painted in a lime-green livery and one Boeing 757
narrow-body (N610DL) in pink to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. After Song was dismantled, this aircraft became the Delta Pink Plane from 2006 until 2010 when it was repainted into standard Delta livery when a new pink Boeing 767-400ER
(N845MH) was introduced. Song aircraft were the first in Delta's fleet to carry onboard satellite television equipment for passenger entertainment before being introduced into the mainline fleet, including all Boeing 737-700
and domestic 767-300
, and select Boeing 737-800
aircraft.
.
The following destinations were operated when Song merged operations back into Delta.
Aruba
Puerto Rico
United States
The following destinations were discontinued prior to the merging of operations.
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
within an airline" brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
.
Song's main focus was on leisure traffic between the northeastern United States and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, a market where it competed with JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways Corporation is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main base is John F. Kennedy International Airport, also in Queens....
. It also operated flights between Florida and the West Coast, and from the Northeast to the west coast.
Song's aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
were fitted with leather seats and free personal entertainment systems at every seat, with audio MP3 programmable selections, trivia games that could be played against other passengers, a flight tracker, and satellite television (provided by the DISH Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
). Song offered free beverages, but charged for meals and liquor. Both brand-name snack boxes and healthy organic meals were offered. The flight safety instructions were sung or otherwise artistically interpreted, depending on the cabin crew. In addition to crew uniforms designed by Kate Spade
Kate Spade
Kate Brosnahan Spade is the co-founder and namesake of the designer brand, Kate Spade New York .- Early life and beginnings :...
, customized cocktails created by nightlife impresario Rande Gerber
Rande Gerber
Rande Gerber is a former model and the owner/operator of the Midnight Oil chain of bars and lounges. His brother Scott runs the financial end of the company, called The Gerber Group. Their youngest brother Kenny is also involved....
and an in-flight exercise program designed by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
fitness guru David Barton, the airline created its own distinct mark in the industry.http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/biz/features/14720/index1.html The airline operated more than 200 flights a day and carried over ten million passengers.
Song's last flight took off on April 30, 2006. Service shifted to mainline Delta on May 1, 2006.
On January 1, 2008, Delta began repainting the last aircraft bearing the Song livery into mainline Delta Air Lines colors.
History
Frontline (TV series)
FRONTLINE is a public affairs television program that produces and broadcasts in-depth documentaries about various subjects. Produced at WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts and distributed through the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, the program has been critically acclaimed and...
episode "The Persuaders" and in the episode's additional materials. The name, brand identity, cabin interiors and airport environments were designed by Landor Associates in New York.
It was promoted by The Apprentice television show, and they had a boutique called "song in the city" to showcase the product in the SoHo district of New York http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3282879/Song-Brings-Unique-In-Air.html. Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Prudential Center
Prudential Tower
The Prudential Tower, also known as the Prudential Building or, colloquially, The Pru, is a skyscraper in Boston, Massachusetts. The building, a part of the Prudential Center complex, currently stands as the 2nd-tallest building in Boston, behind the John Hancock Tower. The Prudential Tower was...
also hosted a storefront location.
On October 28, 2005, Delta announced plans to incorporate Song's aircraft into Delta's mainline domestic long haul operation beginning in May 2006. Eventually the 48 Boeing 757-200 airplanes were converted to include 26 first class seats and repainted with Delta colors. The eradication of the airline was seen by aviation analysts as a move to reduce costs and emerge from bankruptcy.
Song was officially removed from future Delta schedules on February 22, 2006. Song's final flight was #2056 from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
, which departed at 11:48 p.m. on April 30, 2006.
Fleet
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
narrow-body, fitted in a 199 seats, all-economy class, more-legroom configuration and painted in a lime-green livery and one Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
narrow-body (N610DL) in pink to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. After Song was dismantled, this aircraft became the Delta Pink Plane from 2006 until 2010 when it was repainted into standard Delta livery when a new pink Boeing 767-400ER
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
(N845MH) was introduced. Song aircraft were the first in Delta's fleet to carry onboard satellite television equipment for passenger entertainment before being introduced into the mainline fleet, including all Boeing 737-700
Boeing 737 Next Generation
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
and domestic 767-300
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
, and select Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737 Next Generation
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
aircraft.
Destinations
Throughout its history, Song flew to 22 destinations in the U.S. and the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
The following destinations were operated when Song merged operations back into Delta.
Aruba
- OranjestadOranjestad, ArubaOranjestad is the capital and largest city of Aruba, which is in the Caribbean north of Venezuela. Oranjestad is located on the southern coast near the western end of the island country...
(Queen Beatrix International AirportQueen Beatrix International AirportQueen Beatrix International Airport , in Oranjestad, Aruba, is an aviation facility. It has flight services to the United States, most countries in the Caribbean, the northern coastal countries of South America, Canada and some parts of Europe, notably the Netherlands...
)
Puerto Rico
- San JuanSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
(Luis Muñoz Marín International AirportLuis Muñoz Marín International AirportLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Carolina, Puerto Rico, three miles southeast of San Juan. Over 4 million passengers board a plane at the airport per year according to FAA reports . It is owned and managed by the Puerto Rico Ports...
)
United States
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
- Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
(Los Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
) - San FranciscoSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
(San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
) - Santa AnaSanta Ana, CaliforniaSanta Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
(John Wayne AirportJohn Wayne AirportJohn Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...
)
- Los Angeles
- ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
- HartfordHartford, ConnecticutHartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
(Bradley International AirportBradley International AirportBradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
)
- Hartford
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
- Fort MyersFort Myers, FloridaFort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
(Southwest Florida International AirportSouthwest Florida International Airport-Statistics:-Accidents and incidents:* November 28, 2007 - A single-engine fixed wing aircraft crashed about 9:20 a.m. one mile west of Runway 6. The crash killed the pilot...
) - Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
(Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport is an international commercial airport located in unincorporated Broward County, Florida, three miles southwest of the central business district of Fort Lauderdale...
) - OrlandoOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
(Orlando International AirportOrlando International AirportOrlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
) - TampaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
(Tampa International AirportTampa International AirportTampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
) - West Palm BeachWest Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
(Palm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
)
- Fort Myers
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
- Boston (Logan International AirportLogan International AirportGeneral Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
)
- Boston (Logan International Airport
- NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
- Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
(McCarran International AirportMcCarran International AirportMcCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...
)
- Las Vegas
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
- New York City
- (John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
) - (LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
)
- (John F. Kennedy International Airport
- New York City
- Washington
- SeattleSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
(Seattle-Tacoma International AirportSeattle-Tacoma International AirportThe Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5...
)
- Seattle
Terminated destinations
- Bahamas - Nassau
- United States - Atlanta, Newark, Washington D.C-Dulles
Cessation of operations
In May 2006, Song merged into Delta Air Lines's mainline fleet. All Song jets are now configured in a 26/158 First Class/Economy configuration.External links
- Song (Archive)
- PBS Frontline episode - The Persuaders (viewable online) prominently features Song's expensive branding and advertising efforts to separate itself from the "clutter."