Signature drinks? WTF? Is Delta becoming the disco in the sky? Pftt. Just give me a comfortable seat, a decent meal and leave me alone!

http://www.kilgoreskitchen.blogspot.com

Also, someone ought to tell the press release writer that Delta no longer trades under DAL.

Beginning May 1, customers can choose from four cocktails that will be personally mixed by Delta flight attendants who have been specially trained by mixologists from The Gerber Group

Uhh...they are "specially training" flight attendants to be able to mix a single spirit with a ready-made mixer? Whoever let these guys out of the bankruptcy cage: It may have been premature.

Both are part of Delta's continued commitment to provide customers with unique and entertaining options that enhance the travel experience.

What would really knock my socks off is an airline announcing a commitment to awesome customer service...and then delivering on it. That would REALLY be unique and entertaining.

Considering how corpse-friendly airline lavatories are, is Delta sure they want to emphasize "Mile High" in their cocktail nomenclature? Without on-the-spot fitness checks?

Hell of a - well, the BEST - way to go, so soldier on, frequent fliers. But Delta calling a drink Mile High is pretty much begging for passengers to take them up on the challenge.

Does this mean that there will be more "shill" announcements interrupting your nap?
Does this mean that Delta will blow a bunch of money of things that customers are not willing to pay for?
Will they next decide that you can't watch your own movie inflight ( computer or iPod) only theirs- for $5
Do ANY of these airline execs actually fly on their aircrap?
Enjoys this article? check out FFOCUS.org or Untied.com

Delta's next press release: "Also, you can buy the junk we found in our parents' basement! Everything must go! Rain or shine!"

I guess that's one way to get out of bankruptcy.

They won't be able to reproduce the cheap motel feel until the planes come complete with weird stains on the seat cushions.

@b

You must not have been on a Delta plane lately. They added the stains in years ago.

Also where do I apply to be a "nightlife proprietor"? is there a certification class?

Since the whole program is being run by Cindy Crawford's club-promoter husband, I assume this means a bouncer will be selecting standby passengers according to attractiveness level, and anyone who wants an exit row will have to pay $300 for bottle service.

i totally don't get the point of charging $5 for in-flight entertainment when passengers have already paid hundreds of dollars for a plane ticket. why not just raise ticket prices by $5 and show HBO for free? i never fork over cash in-flight, but i probably wouldn't notice a $5 difference in ticket pricing, especially since ticket prices can vary by hundreds of dollars between airlines anyway.

ditto for the drinks--i've never paid for a drink in flight, but i could be convinced to pay a tiny bit more to fly on an airline that offered 2-3 free drink tickets, especially if it also offered free HBO. hell, while we're at it, can someone please start an adults-only airline? if i'm never on another flight with a chorus of whining babies and seat-kicking kids, it'll be too soon. i bet people would pay good money for the privilege of flying kid-free. hmm, i might be on to something here...

I don't want a movie, a drink, or a dinner. I just want a quiet flight with enough leg room for my husband and a comfortable way to sleep. My favorite flights were in those months after 9/11 when everyone was scared to fly--stretching across an entire row by myself was THE way to fly.

I don't care what they charge extra for; as long as I can school the rest of the plane at the free trivia game, I'm happy.

I don't understand why alcohol is always brought up in stuff like this. I mean, inasmuch as people seem to keep getting pulled off of planes for inappropriate behavior, why do they insist on peddling spirits? I like the Fifth Element solution, where everyone gets put into a sleeping chamber until its time to wake up and deplane.

"customers can choose from four cocktails that will be personally mixed by Delta flight attendants who have been specially trained by mixologists from The Gerber Group"

leave it to Rande Gerber, the philandering husband of Cindy Crawford, + his 'mixologists' to teach the Delta flight attendants how to make a cocktail that includes the words 'Mile High'.

@spiderjerusalem: The problem's generally people drinking in the airport rather than on the plane. Most flights they come around maybe twice with the beverage cart (3 times if you're lucky!). And anyone who's gonna get belligerently drunk isn't doing it off of three airline bottles of JD ... they're doing it on Jaeger bombs before they get on.

I think Delta is trying to utilize some of the ideas that worked well on Song (its 'low fare' brand that they got rid of). Song planes all had the tv's in the seats and the plane was all coach class or business class (whatever they called it). Song had good food to purchase (cheese and fruit box, wraps, salads, etc.) and those 'signature cocktails' which were quite yummy.

@LAGirl: LOL. Yeah, pretty much my thoughts (without knowing who actually created the drink).

Really, does "mile high"--as in "mile high club"--really fit with any kind of brand? Out of all parts of airport/plane culture, THAT'S what their marketing firm chose? LAME.

A secondary, nay tertiary point to those about how dumb the ideas are generally, but still :)

"Only $5!"

Does it mean that I've been living in New York too long, if "Only $5" sounds legitimately cheap instead of sarcastically biting?

@TedSez: I wish flying were a mile-high, Hyde-like booze gauntlet. Make it through without chunking, get a discount! Stumble your way into first class in style.

@Max2068: Lately I feel like a mixed drink for $5 anywhere is a good deal.

But I imagine it comes in a thimble.

Song rocked!! I would gladly pay $5 bucks on those long flights when I don't get upgraded. Yes, the drinks are a little silly, but the ability to watch LCD is great. The Song planes still let you play about a dozen different games. Lots of fun. If in first, you play for free!!!

They should get rid of Delta and keep Song, not the other way around.