A New Way to Wing It

By Jeremy Caplan

Cocktails in the sky just didn't seem like enough to Joanne Smith, who, as marketing chief at Song, the budget arm of Delta Airlines, added novel customer activities--from an in-flight exercise program to an interactive trivia game that pits passengers against one another. Since taking over as Song's president in January, Smith, 46, has kept moving, sprucing up the menu and giving every employee her cell-phone number to solicit complaints and troll for new ideas. She spoke with TIME's Jeremy Caplan about what's next on the horizon.

TIME: You're predicting that Song will speed ahead of JetBlue within a few years. What makes you so sure?

SMITH: We've got excellent food for sale, including organics. We shake martinis, we've got the best in-flight entertainment system, and we just make the entire travel experience better. Song competes in the most aggressive, competitive markets in the U.S., and we're expanding this year into Los Angeles and San Francisco. And we're going to win in the Northeast by offering everyday low prices and the best flights.

TIME: You have also removed pillows. Passengers too busy to sleep?

SMITH: Our in-flight entertainment system includes 10 movies on demand, which you can start and stop, 24 channels of live TV and 11 video games. There are also 1,600 songs, and you can create your own playlist. Now we're working on offering entertainment in the waiting area.

TIME: How often do you fly on Song?

SMITH: At least once a month. And all the executives work alongside the flight attendants at least four times a year. We push carts, serve drinks, sell food. It gives us an opportunity to connect with customers and employees.

TIME: Is it tough being a female CEO in the male-dominated airline industry?

SMITH: The industry is dominated by men because it's operationally focused, and the pilots and mechanics, for instance, are mostly male. It's been wonderful to add a female perspective because our target customer is female. Women are the heroes of family travel planning. We do research at Song, but we don't have to. I am the target. We can just ask me.