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Article: Editorial: Song, Starfish no airline cure.(Viewpoint)(Delta and United Airlines create an airline-within-an-airline)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- Advertising Age
- Article date:
- August 25, 2003
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2003 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Big airlines have problems. Creating separate brands-Delta's Song, United's code-named Starfish-isn't the solution. The best course now is to rebuild existing names, simplify the product and recognize that bigness still has advantages over soaring upstarts such as JetBlue Airways.
When United Airlines went Chapter 11 last December, the most prudent action might have been to liquidate-and let efficient upstarts take the gates, repaint the planes and hire motivated new employees at realistic wages. But United instead is trying to reorganize, and part of the plan is to start a separate airline-within-an-airline. Delta Air Lines is betting a growing share of its marketing ...