Southwest Airlines has a history of being able to retain its employees due to the atmosphere and culture of the company. Employees have been known to dress up in costume on an airplane, engage in "games" with the passengers, and generally provide a fun atmosphere for traveling. While other airlines have low rates of customer satisfaction, Southwest tends to maintain a high rating with its customers. Recent gas price hikes have caused most airlines to charge for checked luggage and to fill every flight to its maximum, adding to the negative experience of airline travel. Southwest keeps its costs low through several methods. For example, they do not serve meals on flights or provide pre-boarding passes. The typical flight is two hours or less and occurs between several selected cities rather than flying to practically anywhere in the country. Southwest is known for its low fares, its dependability, and its on-time flights. Discuss with your class what maintaining a culture of "fun" for the employees means to this company. What category do you think "employee retention" and "rising gas prices" fall into in Southwest Airlines' SWOT analysis? What does Southwest's low fares, dependability, and its on-time flights represent in their strategic planning process/marketing plan? Also address the strategic planning process and its relationship to the marketing plan. Discuss the benefits of a SWOT analysis and its impact on the marketing function of an organization in your discussion.