Evaluating how the quality of service affects

passenger’ssatisfaction in the aviation sector in India

By
MD MOZAMMIL (21BAT1067)
AAKANSHA SAHU (21BAT1091)
SURYANSHU KUMAR (21BAT1034)
SUMAN KUMAR (21BAT1090)

21bat1067@cuchd.in, B.Sc. in Airlines & Airport Management, Chandigarh University*1

21bat1091@cuchd.in, B.Sc. in Airlines & Airport Management, Chandigarh University*2
21bat1034@cuchd.in, B.Sc. in Airlines & Airport Management, Chandigarh University*3
21bat1090@cuchd.in, B.Sc. in Airlines & Airport Management, Chandigarh University*4

Department of Airlines & Airport Management

Chandigarh University (Mohali, Punjab, India)
ABSTRACT
The aviation sector in India has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, making
passenger satisfaction a critical factor for airlines' success. This paper aims to evaluate the
correlation between the level of passenger happiness in the Indian aviation industry as well as
the quality of service offered by airlines. The study takes a mixed-methods approach,
including quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with passengers who recently
travelled with several Indian airlines. The quantitative data are analysed using statistical
techniques to identify trends and patterns, while qualitative insights provide a deeper
understanding of passengers' experiences. Key factors affecting the quality of service, such as
ticket pricing, in-flight amenities, on-time performance, and customer service, are assessed.
The study also considers demographic variables like age, gender, and travel frequency to
explore how these factors may influence passengers' satisfaction. Preliminary findings
indicate that the quality of service significantly impacts passenger satisfaction, with factors
like punctuality, cleanliness, and courteous staff emerging as primary drivers of satisfaction.
Additionally, passengers' prior experiences with airlines, loyalty programs, and online
reviews influence their perceptions and expectations. The study's implications extend to both
airlines and policymakers in the Indian aviation sector. Airlines can use the findings to
enhance their service quality, tailor their offerings to meet passenger preferences, and
improve customer loyalty. Policymakers can benefit from understanding the dynamics
between service quality and passenger satisfaction to implement regulations that promote a
competitive and customer-centric aviation industry.

As the Indian aviation sector continues to evolve and face new challenges, this study
contributes significant fresh insight of the connection between passenger satisfaction and
service quality, laying the basis for possible developments in the sector.
INTRODUCTION

In several industries, like public transportation, hotels, and the airline industry, service quality
is crucial since it has a big impact on customers' perceptions, levels of satisfaction, and
overall brand perception. Its significance in influencing passenger behaviour and business
outcomes is supported by research.

An important result of outstanding service quality is passenger happiness. Passenger

satisfaction grows when services meet or surpass expectations, directly correlating service
quality to emotional wellbeing. These increases repeat business and support for the service.
(Parasuraman, 1988)

Passenger satisfaction is significantly impacted by service quality, which has an impact on

how they perceive and react to services and eventually shapes how satisfied they are. This
complex link has been thoroughly studied, and studies in the airline sector show that even a
small 5% improvement in customer retention can result in profitability benefits of up to 95%.
Satisfied customers increase a service provider's revenue and frequently tell others about their
pleasant experiences, which is consistent with social psychology research that highlight the
power of advertisement through word-of-mouth. (Reichheld & Sasser, 1990; Katz
&Lazarsfeld, 1955)

Poor customer service, however, can be harmful since dissatisfied customers might complain
both offline and online. A single negative occurrence reported on social media sites like
Twitter or TripAdvisor may rapidly harm a service provider's reputation in the age of social
media. This emphasizes how critical it is to uphold good service standards in order to reduce
the possibility of harm to your reputation. (Dijkmans et al., 2015)

A connection between service providers and customers has an important effect on customer
loyalty and everlasting relationships, the emotional component of service quality is essential.
The total experience is improved by courteous personnel, individualized services, and
effective procedures that create trust and comfort. (Bitner, Booms, & Tetreault, 1990)

Anderson and Sullivan (1993) found that consistently high-quality services allow enterprises
to charge greater fees. Passengers are frequently willing to pay a premium for great
experiences, validating the notion that investing in service quality can boost profitability.
Perceived high service quality correlates with increased satisfaction levels. Industries like
airlines, hospitality, and public transportation have shown that efficient and courteous
service, minimal delays, and responsive staff lead to higher passenger satisfaction. (Cronin &
Taylor, 1992)

Passenger happiness is moderated by service quality. Airlines that provide consistent and
quick services, clear communication, and a sense of security promote pleasant passenger
experiences, resulting in greater satisfaction rates. (Sureshchandar et al., 2002)

Service quality has an impact on passenger loyalty and repeat business. Customers who are
satisfied with a service provider are more likely to make repeat purchases and switch
providers. This emphasizes the financial impact, as frequent passengers and favourable word-
of-mouth add to the bottom line. (Zeithaml et al., 1996)

Poor service quality, on the other hand, leads to unhappiness and unfavourable views.
Negative experiences, such as delayed flights or unhelpful staff, can have a substantial
influence on passenger satisfaction, potentially leading to negative reviews and reputational
harm. (Oliver, 1981)

Passengers benefit from improved service quality in a variety of ways, including increased
satisfaction, loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, and financial gains. Poor service quality, on the
other hand, can have negative consequences, such as reputational harm and disgruntled
consumers. Delivering extraordinary experiences becomes increasingly important as
industries appreciate its value in developing favourable passenger views and guaranteeing
long-term profitability.

CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND

When it comes to the aviation industry, service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer
loyalty are indeed crucial factors that researchers and industry professionals often focus on.
These dimensions are closely tied to an airline's success and profitability. The work of
Karamata et al. (2017) highlights the significance of customer satisfaction as a benchmark for
quality and organizational excellence. Similarly, Heymann (2019) emphasizes the well-
known principle that "The customer is always right." In line with this, Hutahayan and
Wahyono (2019) provide a definition of service quality as the fulfilment or enhancement of
customer needs. By exploring these concepts, researchers aim to better understand the impact
of service quality on passenger satisfaction in the aviation industry.

The Service Quality scale, known as SERVQUAL, holds a prominent position within the
realm of service management literature. Its substantial impact on customer satisfaction, and
subsequently on fostering customer loyalty (Clemes et al. 2008), has led to its widespread
adoption and citation in various research studies (Carman 1990, Saleh & Ryan 1991, Atilgan
et al. 2003, Martinez Caro & Martinez Garcia 2008, Chand 2010, Ryan & Cliff 1997). With
the intensification of competition among airlines since the 1990s, service providers have been
compelled to prioritize customer needs to establish a devoted customer base. Power (2017)
underscores the heightened focus on customer happiness in the aviation industry over the past
five years. Furthermore, manufacturers of air carriers are under pressure to assist businesses
in their endeavors to secure and retain customer loyalty (Chen et al. 2011).

As Law (2017) points out, service quality, particularly within the aviation sector,
encompasses a customer's overall perception of a company, whereas satisfaction is an
immediate reaction to the consumption of services. In the digital age, Prentice et al. (2017)
observe that opinions of both content and dissatisfied passengers spread rapidly, with content
customers contributing to profitability and dissatisfied ones potentially harming an
organization's reputation and financial standing. Previous research (Kim, Lee, and Yoo 2006)
suggests that satisfied customers not only display loyalty but also recommend positive
experiences to their peers. Given the industry's emphasis on customer service, it is critical to
identify and investigate the significant factors that improve customer satisfaction in the
aviation. Understanding the elements from the customer's point of view is critical in this
situation (Ringle et al. 2011).

Back in 2017, the concept of loyalty was defined as an individual's inclination to consistently
opt for a specific service or product. This connection between customer loyalty and
satisfaction is especially prevalent in environments where top-notch services are offered.
Notably within the airline industry, customer satisfaction plays a pivotal role, as it cultivates
customer loyalty by means of word-of-mouth marketing (Chow & Tsui 2017). Given the
interconnected nature The foundation of field research is a set of assumptions about the
nature of service quality, client happiness, and customer loyalty.
To conclude, the aviation industry places significant importance on comprehending and
enhancing service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty due to their intricate
connections with economic prosperity. Numerous research studies and viewpoints contribute
to the ongoing exploration and analysis of the dynamic relationships among these elements in
the airline sector.

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Service quality in general

According to Woodside et al., service quality is defined as the customer's appraisal of the
services provided by the organization's service procedures. Consumers offer feedback to
corporations by showing their trust and behavioural intentions toward their company's
products and services; thus, businesses must express care about the quality of service they
provide to their customers. Customers' trust in the company's products and services rises
when they feel the products and services satisfy their expectations, and they display their
choices based on their faith in the organization and its services or products. According to
Bateson and Hoffman, "the customer's overall evaluation of the service provider's
performance" constitutes the "cognitive formation of service quality". Another study
discovered that analysing the quality of services provided by businesses influences trust
among clients in that organization and confirms the client's behavioural intention (Chiou and
Droge, 2006). Several studies have been conducted to investigate the influence of the quality
of service on consumer confidence. Service quality has been shown to promote consumer
trust (Chiou and Droge, 2006; Cho and Hu, 2009; Alrubaiee and Alkaa'ida, 2011). Customers
are more comfortable with that company's products and services. If consumers are satisfied,
they will tell other potential customers. This sort of relationship implies a different type of
customer behaviour. When customers gain trust because of enhanced service quality, their
behavioural intentions are affected. Privatization affects service quality as well as the
distribution of people's well-being (Swindell and Kelly, 2005). This is crucial since it
provides companies with information and feedback from their clientele on whether or not the
organization's services are satisfactory. Their happiness and faith in organizational things and
services influence their future behavioural intentions. The quality of services is more
important in privatized enterprises. The similar pattern was seen by Ai et al. (2004),
suggesting that it is vital in the private sector to consider service quality since it impacts
business performance and success in the long term. This indicates that the quality of services
supplied and provided by any organization has a substantial impact on corporate
performance. Superior service distinguishes one business from another or from a group of
rivals, owing mostly to the quality of service supplied to clients (Ghobadian et al., 1994).
Organizations who provide better and higher-quality services will gain a competitive
advantage. As a result, service quality is an important factor in evaluating an organization's
competitive edge. When there is a high level of competition, service quality must be
maintained, according to Pina et al. (2014). This is crucial to maintain and retain clients, as
service quality is always seen as an important and critical predictor of competitiveness for
any type of business, whether private or public. A company distinguishes itself from others
and gains a long-term competitive edge over its competitors by providing superior service
quality (Prajogo and McDermott, 2011). Since severe rivalry is a crucial component, several
researches have indicated that the degree of competition effects service quality (Pina et al.,
2014; Alexander and Feinberg, 2004; Letza et al., 2004). This demonstrates that when there is
intense competition, organizations strive for higher service quality in order to win the
competition and deal with the competition with improved service processes, which help the
organization gain a competitive advantage and create competition among different
organizations. (Pina et al., 2014). Reporting that more active rivalry has helped to find
distinction in different business units/segments in recent years, resulting in better and
enhanced services and advanced and superior service quality to consumers and clients.
According to Chou et al. (2011), the importance of service quality in the airline business is
growing in the international air travel transportation industry. Many research on the airline
service industry and quality evaluation have been undertaken, but many of them have used
SERVQUAL as the evaluation approach. Wu and Cheng (2013) created a conceptual
framework and measuring scale to increase understanding of service quality in the airline
business. (Similarly, Archana and Subha, 2012) stated that in the airline business, company
competitiveness is becoming increasingly dependent on customer happiness and retention.
Customer satisfaction and retention can be achieved through offering high-quality service to
customers. This also aids in gaining a larger market share proposed that providing high-
quality service to customers is critical in the airline sector. This is because passengers are
increasingly concerned with the kind of service they receive (Hussain et al., 2015), (Liou et
al. ,2016), and (Jiang and Zhang, 2016).
2.2 Service quality in airline industry

The concepts of service quality and its assessment are attributed to (Parasuraman et al., 1988;
Zeithaml et al., 1990). (Parasuraman et al., 1988) introduced 'SERVQUAL,' a service quality
evaluation method based on factors such as tangibles, dependability, responsiveness,
assurance, and empathy in an empirical study. This approach took to measure consumer
expectations and perceptions in order to evaluate customer satisfaction. Pakdil and Aydlin
(2007) employed the SERVQUAL to evaluate airline service quality from the perspective of
international passengers. According to (Andotra et al., 2008), service quality is considered as
a "competitive marketing strategy" in the airline industry, involving a consumer focus,
service inventiveness, innovation, and the ambition to reach "service excellence,
Management of the company has been concerned with service quality for many decades
(Caro and Garcia, 2008). Service quality is described as an ongoing and steady construct that
includes the performance quality of employees and administrative professionals in
organizational operations (Prayag, 2007). Customers value comfortable seats and clean seats
as essential services provided by any airline sector (Chen and Chang, 2005; Liou and Tzeng,
2007). They also offered empirical evidence for the relevance of the airline industry offering
"complaint handling service." According to Park (2007), travellers everyone, regardless of
their background or origin, has an idea about the class, seat, and frequency of use. "Safety-
related services" are appreciated by clients in the aviation business as well. 2007 (Liou and
Tzeng). In order to get a competitive edge and achieve a high profit with continuous
development in the aviation business in a highly competitive market, firms must provide
excellent services to their passengers. According to (Chen,2008), several prior research show
that service quality has a significant influence on experience or perceived value.

Many detractors have slammed the SERVQUAL. The following are the most significant
complaints directed about SERVQUAL.

2.2.1 Asubonteng et al. (1996) argue that management must understand the underlying
meaning of service quality and how it may be assessed. If management want to increase
quality, it must first define what quality is.

To "improve quality," employees who have direct contact with customers have their own
definition of what quality is. How can firms improve on this murky concept? Management
should train employees who have direct contact with customers to be more successful in
terms of responsiveness, which is a service quality feature. Management should define
attention to make it clear to employees what the firm wants and what service excellence
implies.

2.2.2 Complete the valid and accurate measurement of service quality, which is required for
quality management. A consistent value is one that would not change even in the event that
quality did not change, making it a solid metric. Asubonteng et al. (1996) state that a measure
is deemed valid if it produces the exact results for which the scale was intended to be used..
2.2.3 Based on the work of Gronroos and Shostack (1983) and Lehtinen and Lehtinen (1982),
Swartz and Brown (1989) found a number of problems in the idea of service outstanding
performance. "Following the performance of organizational operations, what" the "service
delivers."is assessed (Swartz & Brown, 1989, p.190). This dimension has been called
"physical quality" by Lehtinen and Lehtinen (1982), "technical quality" by Groos and
Shostack (1983), and "outcome quality" by Parasuraman et al. (1985). Throughout the
delivery process, "how" the "service is delivered" is reviewed (Swartz and Brown, 1989, p.
190). Previously, this dimension was known as "interactive quality" by Lehtinen and
Lehtinen (1982), "functional quality" by Groos and Shostack (1983), and "process quality" by
Parasuraman et al. (1985). This results in a broad understanding of "what" (physical,
technical, and outcome quality) is difficult to examine and appraise in any service
(Asubonteng et al., 1996).

The initial source of worry was a misalignment between management objectives and service
quality criteria. Employees are unable to examine the service quality standard because they
do (Parasuraman et al., 1985), may be useful in overcoming this problem. The second worry
is the assessment's dependability. SERVQUAL is a dependable measure for filling these five
gaps since it gauges the standard of excellence even when the quality of service does not alter
(Parasuraman et al.,1985).
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The five dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale as follows, based on the definitions provided
by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry in 1988:

(a) The physical infrastructure, equipment, and the appearance of the personnel (referred to as
Tangibles).

(b) The reliability and precision of the service provider (known as Reliability).

(c) The capacity to understand and the willingness to meet customer requirements (termed
Responsiveness).

(d) The staff's competence in instilling confidence and trust in the company (referred to as
Assurance).

(e) The staff's ability to offer compassionate service to customers (known as Empathy).
We will develop various machine-learning models aimed at gauging the resilience of airline
companies in the face of disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Our initial step
involves constructing a straightforward linear regression model. This model will utilize
financial factors such as cash reserves, investments, debts, and salary outlays, along with
operational costs like fuel consumption and maintenance expenses, to forecast the net income
of an airline company. Simultaneously, another model will be designed, utilizing the same set
of features, but with the purpose of predicting the company's expenses rather than income.

Incorporating Covid-19 statistics into our analysis, we will examine whether the volume of
international flights to countries classified as high-risk or low-risk has any bearing on the
resilience of airline companies. The outcome generated by each of the models we've
constructed will yield a resilience metric, shedding light on how these airline companies have
navigated the disruptions.

It is important to note that our study relies on secondary data, which has been sourced from
textbooks, research papers, and various websites

The survey questionnaire encompassed nine sections of structured questions, covering a

range of topics. These included inquiries about travel behaviour, the respondents'
expectations and perceptions regarding the airline they frequently used, their intentions for
future purchases, their overall assessment of the chosen airline's service quality, their
satisfaction levels, and the likelihood of recommending the airline to others. The final section
of the questionnaire was dedicated to gathering background information about the
respondents, including their gender, age, marital status, ethnic background, occupation, level
of education, and monthly income.

To collect responses, questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 500 individuals who had
a history of air travel. This sample was conveniently selected from in and around Kuala
Lumpur, as well as at the KLIA airport, with enumerators on hand to provide clarifications
and ensure the accuracy of responses. The subset of respondents selected at the KLIA airport
consisted of travellers waiting for their flights. Through these efforts, a total of 391
completed and valid questionnaires were obtained, resulting in a response rate of 78 percent.

In general, Malaysian consumers expressed contentment with the services offered by the
airlines. However, when assessed using the SERVQUAL framework, the results revealed that
all the airlines surveyed managed to surpass expectations in just one dimension, which is
Responsiveness. In the remaining aspects, namely Tangibles, Assurance, Reliability, and
Empathy, there is room for improvement.

Our findings emphasize that customers place significant importance on Empathy as a key
indicator of their perception of service quality. As such, it is imperative for airlines to invest
in adequate training to ensure that this crucial aspect of service is consistently delivered.

Furthermore, our research identified a relatively weak relationship between satisfaction and
the likelihood of both future airline usage and recommendations to others. Consequently,
airline companies should focus on developing strategies that can transform satisfied
customers into loyal patrons. Addressing the factors that lead to dissatisfaction among
customers is vital for customer retention and for maintaining competitiveness within the
airline industry.

CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT

In high-quality service organizations, customer loyalty and customer satisfaction are closely
linked and can be used interchangeably. Additionally, customer satisfaction plays a pivotal
role in fostering customer loyalty through positive word-of-mouth communication within the
airline industry, as highlighted in the study by Chow and Tsui in 2017. Consequently,
research in this domain primarily revolves around a foundational model of hypotheses that
establish the connections between service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer
loyalty.
The participants in this study comprised individuals who were passengers at the Indira
Gandhi International Airport in Delhi during the period of January to February 2020. These
individuals willingly took part in this academic endeavor, and the research sample consisted
of 154 respondents. Given the diverse nature of the airline industry, service quality, customer
satisfaction, and customer loyalty stand out as the most critical and extensively studied areas.
They are paramount for the successful functioning of any airline. Academics, researchers, and
industry professionals share a common interest in exploring various facets of these factors
due to their direct implications for the economic performance of airline companies, as well as
their objectives and profitability.

As per the findings of Karamata et al. in 2017, customer satisfaction is regarded as the
yardstick for assessing the standard of quality and excellence in any organization. In line with
this, Heymann in 2019 adheres to the principle that " The consumer is always right."
Furthermore, Hutahayan and Wahyono (2019) assert that providing or renewing client desire
is at the core of service quality. In the realm of service management literature, the Service
Quality Scale (SERVQUAL) is widely acknowledged and frequently referenced, as noted by
Carman in 1990, Saleh and Ryan in 1991, Atilgan et al. in 2003, Martinez Caro and Martinez
Garcia in 2008, Chand in 2010, and Ryan & Cliff in 1997. This is primarily due to the
profound influence of service quality on customer satisfaction, subsequently fostering
customer loyalty, as emphasized by Clemes et al. in 2008.

The airline industry has experienced intense competition since the 1990s, compelling service
providers to diligently cater to passenger requirements in their quest to establish a loyal
customer base. This heightened emphasis on customer satisfaction has been notably observed
in the aviation sector over the past five years, as reported by Power in 2017. This competitive
landscape has also extended to aircraft manufacturers, who face considerable pressure to
assist companies in acquiring and retaining customer loyalty, as indicated by Chen et al. in
2011. Law's perspective in 2017 underlines that satisfaction is an immediate response to
service consumption, while service quality encompasses the comprehensive perception of a
business in the eyes of clients, particularly in the context of the airline industry. As expressed
by Prentice et al. in 2017, the advent of digital media has significantly amplified the impact
of satisfied and dissatisfied passengers on an organization. Satisfied customers can contribute
to increased profitability, while dissatisfied customers have the potential to tarnish the
organization's image and affect both its reputation and financial standing. Previous research,
such as the work by Kim, Lee, and Yoo in 2006, has consistently shown that satisfied
customers tend to exhibit loyalty and actively engage in positive word-of-mouth, which
promotes the dissemination of excellent services among their peers.

Given that the aviation industry places a strong emphasis on providing top-notch service, it
becomes imperative to thoroughly define and analyse the pertinent factors that can elevate
customer satisfaction. This entails gaining a comprehensive understanding of the factors that
drive satisfaction from the customers' perspective, as emphasized by Ringle et al. in 2011.In
2017, the concept of loyalty was described as an individual's commitment and preference to
consistently choose a particular service or product. To ensure a well-balanced representation
of the research population, which considered factors like gender, education, and age, a
stratified random method was employed for distributing the questionnaires to the study
participants. To determine the appropriate sample size for the final study, G power software,
as recommended by Faul, Erdfelder, Buchner, and Lang in 2009, will be used. By aiming for
a statistical power of 0.8, A required minimum sample size of 85 responders was determined
to be necessary. As a result, our sample size is adequate to enable reliable statistical analysis.

This research delves into the influence of service quality on both customer satisfaction and
customer loyalty. The empirical evidence and findings clearly indicate that service quality
significantly impacts passenger satisfaction and loyalty within the Indian aviation industry.
Notably, the results highlight that empathy and responsiveness stand out as the key
components of service quality, serving as essential prerequisites for achieving customer
satisfaction.

Additionally, the paper puts forth several recommendations for airline managers, particularly
emphasizing the need for a problem-solving approach in flight operations, with the
understanding that contented travellers are pivotal in cultivating loyalty. In this context,
airline staff must strive for excellence in ensuring passenger satisfaction, which is a crucial
element for survival in the highly competitive airline industry. Consequently, managers
should devise and implement strategies that prioritize passenger satisfaction.

This paper presents a significant and favourable addition to both academic literature and the
domain of airline management. It stands out for its focus on the crucial operational elements
of the airline industry, underscoring the importance of interpersonal skills and pinpointing the
need for enhancing service efficiency, which, in turn, fosters passenger loyalty. In doing so,
this study charts a novel path for future research, guiding it towards exploring advancements
in service quality concerning passenger satisfaction within the unique context of the Indian
aviation industry.

DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULT

The questionnaire data was analysed in three sections: passenger demographics, passenger
happiness with service as determined via factor analysis, as well as the connection between
different airlines and average score, which shows passenger satisfaction.
Table 2 Provides a full demographic analysis of responders. In Chennai International Airport,
personal and in-person interviews with passengers who were awaiting planes were conducted.
Questionnaires were distributed to visitors who had travelled abroad on at least one other
occasion during the preceding two years. 270 completed surveys were supplied by the
respondents. Almost three-quarters (71.9%) of the respondents in the sample data are men,
42.2% are around the ages of 26 and 35, 54% earn between Rs. 3-5 lakhs per year, 37.8% are
employed by private companies, and 47.4% hold a postgraduate degree.

A factor analysis was used to evaluate the airline's overall service quality in an effort to
satisfy customers. Using a number rotations, the major factor component analysis was
conducted. Back-office operations, in-flight digital services, and in-flight services were the
new names given to the factors since the general pattern of rotating factor loadings suggested
a three-dimensional solution.

The most crucial factor to consider when selecting an airplane to fly is the ZENITH
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Vol.2 Issue 2, February 2012, ISSN 2231
5780 www.zenithresearch.org.in 58. Personal entertainment is an important consideration in
passenger flight choosing.

The most significant variables in passenger flight decisions include online seat booking,
contact centre services, and reservation/cancellation. According to Table 3, the total
cumulative The percentage disparities are divided into 53.686 for in-flight services, 62.239
for digital in-flight services, and 72.793 for back-office operations..
An average score analysis was done to gauge passenger satisfaction with the calibre of in-
flight service, as Figure 1 illustrates. Five points were given for exceptionally satisfied
services, four points for satisfied services, three points for moderate services, two points for
dissatisfied services, and one point for seriously unhappy services, based on the Likert 5-
point scale. Jet Lite's overall performance is very good; all criteria for in-flight service quality
are higher than the 4-point cutoff. After that, 9W, Spice, IT, Air Deccan, and KF Red all
exceeded the 4-point criterion and were ranked 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 accordingly. Indigo's
performance was ranked seventh among 14 respondents. Similarly, two or three elements in
Go Air and 17 scored four points. All Indian and Air India in-flight service quality has not
reached the satisfactory level, and many of these services are moderate, as reported by 41 and
2 respondents, respectively.
Of the 270 respondents in the study, 147 said they would rather travel in economy class
(Figure 4). While 20% and 18% of respondents are interested in travelling in Spice and
Indian, respectively, 33% of respondents are interested in flying in 9W. Figure 5 reveals that
33% of respondents like to travel in 9W, 17% like to travel in Spice, and 90% of respondents
want to fly in business class. Figure 6 illustrates that just 33 respondents are interested in
travelling in premium class, with 43% of respondents being interested in IT and the
remaining 24% in Spice. Factors Affecting Client Contentment Finding the traits that affect
customer satisfaction in Kenya's aviation industry was the initial aim of this study. A total of
twenty-two factors were presented to the respondents, who were asked to rate their
satisfaction with each one. One on the scale denoted significant disagreement, two
disagreements, three neither disagreement nor agreement, four slight agreements, and five
obviously agreement. The mean for each of the criteria was calculated, and if the mean
corresponded to any of the numbers on the supplied scale, it signifies that most of the
respondents fell into that group.

Factors influencing customer satisfaction

The initial goal of this research was to identify the characteristics that impact customer
satisfaction in Kenya's aviation business. The respondents were given a total of 22 variables
and were asked to indicate how much they agreed with each of them. The scale was set at 1
for strongly disagree, 2 for disagree, 3 for neither disagree nor agree, 4 for slightly agree, and
5 for agree. The mean for each of the criteria was calculated, and if the mean corresponded to
any of the numbers on the supplied scale, it signifies that most of the respondents fell into
that group.

According to the study, the staff uniform's appearance had the highest mean (4.7), suggesting
that most passengers agreed to some extent that it had a significant impact on customer
satisfaction. Employee preparedness to respond to client inquiries and the kind of aircraft the
airline owns shared a mean score of 4.50. This suggests that most passengers agreed to some
extent that both of these variables have a significant impact on customer satisfaction.

A mean of 4.40 was also observed for several other factors, such as the airline's ability to
fulfil its promises, adhere to flight schedules, solve problems, provide prompt services,
exhibit consistency in providing quality customer care, streamline check-in processes, and
prioritise customer interests. This suggests that the respondents agreed in part that these
issues had a significant impact on consumer satisfaction in Kenya's aviation sector.
Factors that had a mean of 4.10 were the competence of the airline employees, the physical
facilities that are owned by the airline and the employees‟ personal attention to the
customers. This is an indication that most of the passengers who participated in the study
agreed that these factors are also important in influencing customer satisfaction. The factors
that were equally considered to be important in influencing customer satisfaction in the
aviation industry in Kenya were safety record of the airline and accuracy of flight records
both with a mean of 4.00. However, the study established that individual attention to
customers had a mean of 3.90, an indication that most of the respondents were non-committal
on this whether it was important or not important in influencing customer satisfaction in the
aviation industry. Nonetheless, the study found that the mean score for providing personalised
attention to consumers was 3.90, indicating that the majority of respondents were undecided
about the significance of this factor in affecting customer satisfaction in the aviation sector.

CONCLUSION

Unnecessary disruptions in operations during airline operations, especially when faced with
external disturbances, can result in infeasible resource scheduling non the aviation sector.
This work developed an integrated prediction tool for airlines that uses machine learning
predictive models to forecast resilience during irregular operations. This method can help
aviation operators and air carriers discover present and future concerns and develop a
proactive integrated recovery strategy to manage these uncertainties. As shown during the
Covid-19 pandemic, this approach provides a simulation model that estimates the list of
interrupted events in the system as a function of resource availability. Using personnel data,
fuel consumption, asset utilization, net revenue and costs, and local and international flights,
the combination of linear regression and random forest models aims to produce the ideal
aviation management plan by recovering the predicted list of interrupted occurrences. The
following are the primary contributions of this instrument. For starters, it unifies recovery
options for a wide range of airline resources (aircraft, carriers, personnel, travel agents, and
other participants) with varied limits in the aviation industry. Second, the instrument may
respond in near-real time. Many resilience metrics are established as a kind of airline
recovery assessment because of this approach's capacity to contribute to efficient airline
recovery strategies. Finally, the system provides proactive recovery measures to help airlines
optimize their business plan and identify possible risk factors.

Pangarkar (2008), in his book "Flying High in a Competitive Industry," attempts a

macroenvironmental study of the aviation industry. Regarding political matters, he thinks that
the "open skies" philosophy has encouraged some business reforms regarding entry, even
though various constraints persist in the form of ongoing protectionism and red tape in
several nations. Many routes necessitate infrastructural improvement. Many routes have
restrictions on slot allocation and landing. A volatile political environment is partly to blame
for a protected aviation sector. In terms of economic fundamentals, the global economy is
mature, yet developing economies are growing rapidly. Even in high-growth locations where
air travel demand is rapidly increasing, the profitability of the airline sector is poor or
negative. An increase in actual and disposable incomes is the main bright point for the
company; this might result in more people flying, which would further the aviation industry's
development. However, the growth in real income encourages further income polarization,
resulting in the exclusion of the poorest segments of the population from the sector. The
demand for air travel is driven by societal factors such as a growing degree of
multiculturalism and a desire to understand and learn about different cultures. At the same
time, the industry and its effect on CO2 emissions come under heavy fire due to
environmental concerns. The aviation industry's contribution to air pollution is substantially
lower when compared to other industries, but it receives disproportionate criticism and
attention from environmentalists. Finally, in terms of technology, the internet has transformed
air travel. Because of the internet, purchasing choices and information flow have become
much more open. The internet has also assisted the aviation sector in emerging from its
exclusive position and becoming more people oriented. The airline uses the internet to
improve the quality of its service. The internet has had a massive influence. One of the most
significant advantages from the customer's perspective is improved openness in information
surrounding buying decisions with lower search costs. Other technical developments include
new jet designs that permit longer-distance travel as well as increased passenger capacity and
efficiency in terms of fuel use. Furthermore, biometric check-in, customer relationship
management (CRM) software, and airport traffic management technology allow tasks to be
completed more efficiently and help airlines to better relate to their client base.