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© St. Petersburg Times, published February 10, 2003
JetBlue CEO David Neeleman used the inaugural flight of the carrier's 38th plane last week as a chance to take yet another shot at Delta's new low-fare airline, Song.
The A320 jet was christened Song Sung Blue to help focus JetBlue on the upcoming battle with Song for budget-minded travelers between the Northeast and Florida.
While Delta insists Song will take on all low-fare competitors, aviation experts say the No. 1 target of the nation's No. 3 is JetBlue. The first routes connect Florida cities with New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport -- JetBlue's biggest hub. And Song promotes high-tech, in-flight video systems designed to trump JetBlue's 24-channel satellite TV.
"Here's someone who wants to take our lunch box," Neeleman said. "But we know the secret isn't in the technology, it's the people we have. We're going to go and kick their butts."
The jet naming, however, wasn't just a stunt aimed at Delta. JetBlue lets flight crews nominate names for each new jet. One of the entry winners gets to fly the plane home from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France.
Our favorite (a tip of the hat to the airline's Noo Yawk roots): Bada Bing Bada Blue.