Flying the Friendly Fraternity Skies

Happy post thanksgiving everyone and L'Chaim to my Jewish friends who still have fond memories of dreidles and gelt (for today also marks the first day of Hannukah)!

Like much of America, I engaged in what has become a time honored tradition of waiting in line, screened, and avoiding crying babies as I flew from one side of the country to another. The stereo cacophony not withstanding, it was actually quite pleasent. Like most of my flights back home, my cheapest fair just happened to be Southwest. As we reached cruising altitude, their very engaging flight crew came through the cabin and handed out peanuts, soda, and other creature comforts.

I promise, this isn't the run up to a Seinfeld-esque joke, I swear.

I paused. Wait a minute, Southwest was one of the few airlines that was still consistently in the black during these hard economic times yet I still got a full can of diet coke (my addiction), snacks, AND I checked two bags for free? Don't even get me started on how nice their new fleet of Boeing 737s are.

What the heck?

Juxtapose this treatment to a flight on American Airlines. The ticket is more expensive, the luggage is certainly not free, and don't even count on inflight meals anymore. How can one airline go from being the low cost airline, provide high amenities, and still remain solvent and profitable in this day in age?

The question is not so much how Southwest can do it but how can any organization remain both profitable and desireable simultaneously.

For Fraternities and Sororities, the costs are often less quanitfiable but no less real and dangerous. Poor planning amounts to uncomfortable delays, failure to collect dues leads to insolvency and less amenities, poor image and reputation (McDonnel Douglass jets or Rolls Royce engines anyone?) leads to few recruits, and hazers are those horrendous "customer service" agents who seem to serve no purpose except to keep you FROM getting to your destination.

On the other hand, Fraternities and Sororities can provide lots of "perks" for a very low "cost." You can create a new member experience that improves their GPA and encourages community involvement. In such a way, a person becomes more attractive in the so called "real world" after college. Your orgnization can provide safe and responsibile events that avoid the hassle and costs of a risk management investigations, or they can co-sponsor educational events with other Greek or NonGreek organizations. The trick is that, unlike the economic axiom that a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow, instead focuses on the idea that a party tonight IS NOT worth the embarassment, costs, clean ups, and opportunity tomorrow.

Now, we can talk theory and ideals all we want, but the real question is for YOU and you alone. Would you rather be a Southwest or would you rather be a TransWorld Airlines (or Continental, or Pan American, or Florida Coastal, or ATA, or...well, you get the picture)