At 09:26 AM 1/29/2003 -0500, Tyler Munoz forwarded a press release: >INTRODUCING THE WORLD'S MOST INNOVATIVE LOW-FARE AIRLINE SERVICE > >Fleet to Expand to 36 Boeing 757s Providing 144 Daily Flights Primarily >between Northeast and Key Florida Leisure Destinations > >NEW YORK - January 29, 2003 - Song(tm), a new airline service developed >to change customer expectations for high-quality, low-fare air travel, >was introduced today at a company event in New York City. Song, which >will initially service Northeast to Florida routes, will fly its maiden >voyage from New York City's JFK to West Palm Beach on Tuesday, April 15, >2003. By October 2003, Song plans to provide 144 daily flights utilizing >a fleet of 36 Boeing 757 aircraft. > >A wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) <snip> >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. Take that, JetBlue. :-) But why do they need a credit card swiper at each seat? >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. Ah, here we go: pay-per-view. On two or three hour flights. And about these MP3 offerings: free or charge per song? >Multi-player interactive games that allow play between passengers. Could be interesting. "Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be deplaning by the order of the best scores on today's game." >Interactive iXplor moving map program with zoom capabilities and points of >interest information. Pretty much expected as long as you're putting good seatback entertainment into your plane. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" <snip> >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. Interesting and gutsy. Might make up for the lost space under the seats due to the in-seat entertainment. :-) <snip> >Song plans to introduce a fleet of 199-seat, all coach Boeing 757 aircraft >at the average rate of one per week for 36 weeks beginning in April. >Song's planned 144 daily flights will primary serve cities in the >Northeast and key Florida leisure destinations. These markets include: New >York City, Boston, Washington, DC, Hartford, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, >Tampa and Orlando. What's Delta going to use in the main fleet as the 757 replacement? Or is Song going to launch with 757s from other carriers? I like the 757 in general; I may well end up flying Song on IAD to MCO within a year or two. I've been tied to United since a burst of international business travel on United get me Premiere status in their FF program, but that expires in a few weeks. Why not take Song for my Disneyworld trips? :-) And, when they start IAD to OAK service, maybe that, too? (I'm speculating, of course, about how far they'll go to emulate JetBlue.) <snip> Nick