Delta might eliminate SONG

[PatMcDuck]

I noticed my flights for April/May to JFK direct to LAX changed flight numbers a couple of months ago, and seemed to be Delta flights now, not Song. I had row 5, and suddenly lost my seat assignment (common when they change flight times/numbers). that flight I booked on miles......

I still have row 5, 6 seats each way for August 2006 on Song. It would be cool to suddently be in first class, LOL.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> What are my chances [of flying in] first class?

If the plane that picks you up has been converted back to first class before the "end" of Song, there wil be only four seats across in the front cabin. Some passengers will have to be reseated.

Slightly before or slightly after the "end" of Song, Delta may make minor schedule changes that lose your seat assignments, allowing them to oust you from the front cabin. You won't notice the difference because Song and Delta are notorious for this kind of schedule change.

(copied from another post)
Anyone here on The Dis recall flying Song in its early days and getting a first class seat in the front section? Before the planes were reconfigured to all coach.

 

[bicker]

This is the key aspect of this:

``They are trying in bankruptcy to bring down their whole cost structure, so there won't be a need for a low-cost unit,'' Ray Neidl, a New York-based Calyon Securities analyst, said in an interview.

Operating two carriers is more expensive than operating one. The only need for Song was to get around work rules imposed on Delta by its union contracts -- now Delta can just get those work rules dismissed by a judge so why would they need a separate carrier like Song?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Operating two carriers is more expensive than operating one. The only need for Song was to get around work rules imposed on Delta by its union contracts -- now Delta can just get those work rules dismissed by a judge so why would they need a separate carrier like Song?

Yes, Delta is trying to cut their whole cost structure.

However, please cite evidence that Song's union employees had different work rules than Delta's mainline union employees. One of the challenges that Delta faced when they launched Song was that the employees worked under the same union contracts as mainline Delta employees, which were some of the highest in the industry. (In contrast, American Eagle employees work under different rules and pay rates than mainline American Airlines employees.)

I agree that operating under two brands is more expensive than operating under a single brand. However, it's not unusual for companies to do so. Consider how Marriott has segmented their lodging business into multiple brands from Fairfield Inn at the low end to Ritz Carlton at the high end.

The real reason for killing the Song brand is to simplify the fleet (so that all Delta 757s have the same configuration) and to add first class seats back onto the aircraft (to sell high revenue seats and to attract frequent flyers through upgrade opportunities). Once there's no difference between Delta and Song 757s, there's no reason to keep the separate brand.

 

[ralphd]

Here is the official announcement:

' http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9941 '

 

[Snowysmom]

I just called Song because I noticed that my return flight time had changed and I wanted to be sure the seats were still the same. My flight is for July. The CSR told me that Delta is being absorbed into Delta, as we now know, and that the flights will still take place but booking so far in advance, schedule changes probably will occur. So, it is basically the same as always. Keep checking your itinerary to look for any changes and check your seats too. I plan on checking at least once a week for now and even more often as we approach May, June, and July.

 

[jcodespoti]

IMO, I don't think that too much will change. Delta liked the song model and it worked(from what I've heard), at least at BDL, we'll see what happens in the future.

Joe in CT