here's the official version. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2005/10/28/financial/= f053627D69.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, October 28, 2005 (AP) Delta to Eliminate Discount Carrier Song By MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press Writer (10-28) 08:03 PDT ATLANTA, (AP) -- Delta Air Lines Inc., which is reorganizing under protection from the federal bankruptcy court, announced plans Friday to discontinue its discount carrier Song and incorporate Song's fleet into Delta's regular service. Song will continue to fly as a separate brand until May 2006, Delta officials said Wednesday. After May, Delta plans to refit the single-class Song airplanes to inclu= de first-class seating to make the planes conform with Delta's regular service. Joanne Smith, currently president of Song, has been named vice president of consumer maketing for Delta, effective immediately. Atlanta-based Delta filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors in New York on Sept. 14. Song filed for bankruptcy protection the same day. Any layoffs that occur will be counted as part of the 7,000 to 9,000 job cuts Delta announced last month as part of its bankruptcy restructuring, a Delta spokeswoman said. Song was created in 2003 as a hip travel option for leisure travelers, with amenities such as increased leg room, preflight meal ordering and even a music service. It was designed to compete with JetBlue Airways Corp. and other low-cost airlines that emerged in this decade. Delta did not release figures on Song's profits or losses. Song has 48 Boeing 757-200 aircraft. It flies from 16 locations, includi= ng Boston, Hartford, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlanta, five cities in Florida and three Caribbean vacation spots — Nassau, San Juan and Aruba. "We've learned a lot from Song and have already incorporated many of its positives into Delta," said Jim Whitehurst, Delta's chief operating officer. "Features like new leather interiors, new uniforms, a simplified fare structure and faster turn times have resulted in 11 consecutive months of year-over-year improvement in customer service ratings at Delta." ___ On the Net: Delta Air Lines Inc. www.delta.com ----------------------------------------------------------= ------------ Copyright 2005 AP