September 14, 2006 – DELTA Airlines has begun rolling out a mainline service offering based on the exceptional inflight entertainment package developed for its now defunct Song low-cost operation.

Until earlier this year Song passengers enjoyed Panasonic eFX-based IFE, including 24 channels of free DISH Network live television, 24 free audio channels, free MP3 programming allowing them to create individual playlists of up to 32 songs, 10 on-demand pay-per-view films, and 10 games.

Now, following the discontinuation of the Song brand, the whole package is being made available to all passengers on select Delta flights over four hours or more than 1,750 miles, including those from Atlanta and New York JFK to cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle. It will also ultimately be offered on flights from Florida to the West Coast and on many overseas routes.

The complete product is being introduced first on the 48-strong fleet of ex-Song Boeing 757s. These aircraft are now in two-class configuration, featuring 26 first-class seats at 38in pitch and 158 economy at 33in; the seats are all-leather in both classes. “This is the result of feedback from frequent business customers who flew on Song and who loved the onboard entertainment but wanted a first-class option,” says Delta marketing VP Joanne Smith.

The airline plans to introduce around 18 aircraft a month between now and the end of November, by which point all flights from JFK to the West Coast should offer the service. Between then and 2008 it should have appeared on a total of 100+ domestic Boeing 767-300s and –400s, 757s and 737-800s.

Delta also began updating its international BusinessElite class on 75 aircraft earlier this year. The first eight reconfigured Boeing 767-300ERs are in service and the remaining 767-300ERs/-400ERs and 777-200ERs are due to have been refitted by next summer.

The airline says that having Panasonic’s eFX aboard its aircraft opens up the possibility of adding broadband connectivity for email and Internet access in the future. The obvious candidate bearer in US domestic airspace is AirCell’s forthcoming terrestrial broadband system, to be introduced towards the end of next year, while Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband, due in mid-2007, could serve international operations.

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