Passenger service quality expectations as perceived by long haul airline managers in South Africa
Date
2012-11-20
Authors
Lambert, Adam
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Abstract
The elements of the service quality mix are an important consideration for
airlines in deciding on the level of service provision offered by their airline. This
study aimed to determine passenger expectations of service quality as
perceived by Airline Managers (AMs) working at long haul airlines operating in
South Africa. The extent to which passenger expectations inform airline strategy
was also examined. Gap one of the SERVQUAL model, the difference between
mangers’ perceptions of customer expectations and customer expectations,
was used to frame the research problem. Within this, the five dimensions (also
considered antecedents of service quality) proposed by the SERVQUAL model
were examined to determine the relative importance.
A scarcity of data in the literature covering AMs’ perceptions of passenger
expectations of service quality necessitated an exploratory approach. Ten AMs
and eight travel industry managers (TIMs) were interviewed to gain their views
on passenger expectations of service quality. A ‘ranking’ exercise was used to
determine how the respondents would rank the five dimensions of the
SERVQUAL model, from passengers’ point of view. A ‘rating’ exercise was
used to explore the factors related to each dimension in more detail.
AMs’ and TIMs’ perceptions were found to be similar, with both groups ranking
reliability as the most important dimension to passengers, echoing results seen
with passengers. Trust and safety emerged as important themes within the
reliability dimension. The tangibles dimension was found to be the least
important to passengers, yet was rated as the area that was considered the
primary area of investment by airline respondents. Passenger expectations
were found to inform airline strategies.
In conclusion, AMs’ perceptions of the relative importance passengers place on
the dimensions of service quality match those found in the literature. Their
financial investment strategies, though, do not match the elements of the
service quality mix found to be important to passengers.
Description
MBA thesis - WBS
Keywords
Passenger services, Service management, Airline companies