An expectation-experience analysis of service quality of business travelers in low-cost airlines
Dsilva, Jacinta, Balasubramanian, Sreejith 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0475-7305, Ajayan, Shalani and Paris, Cody Morris ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0339-2471
(2021)
An expectation-experience analysis of service quality of business travelers in low-cost airlines.
e-Review of Tourism Research, 18
(3)
.
pp. 375-392.
ISSN 1941-5842
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Abstract
A number of low-cost airlines (LCA) are repositioning their brand strategy to attract business travelers. This requires first understanding and then meeting business traveler's service quality expectations. Unfortunately, most studies on service quality attributes of LCAs have focused on leisure travelers. This formed the motivation of this study, which aims to examine the gap that exists between expectations and (actual) experience with the services received across the various dimensions of service quality (SERVQUAL) among international business travelers. A total of 142 responses from business travelers were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising 23 SERVQUAL items. An expectation-experience analysis (EEA) was then performed on the survey data to categorize each item in the EEA grid as 1) High priority (high expectation but low experience) 2) Keep up the good work (high expectation and high experience) 3) Low priority (low expectation and low experience) and 4) Possible overkill (low expectation but high experience). The results show that the LCAs should focus more on the 'reliability' factor as most of its items emerged in the high priority grid while low priority should be given to 'empathy'. Overall, an all-around improvement is required to narrow the service quality gap, given that none of the service quality attributes have met or exceeded business travelers' expectations. The results are useful for practitioners to prioritize service quality improvements and develop tailor-made marketing and branding strategies.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Theme: | |
| Additional Information: | Vol. 18 No. 3 (2020): Special Issue: ERPBSS 2020- Sustainability, Mobility, and Opportunity |
| Research Areas: | A. > Business School |
| Item ID: | 35696 |
| Notes on copyright: | "License
e-Review of Tourism Research (eRTR) is an international electronic bulletin for tourism research (ISSN:1941-5842). It comprises current tourism research articles, commentaries and reviews by industry professionals. The materials are provided for the personal noncommercial use of registered users of the eRTR, free to individuals and institutions. Copies of articles may be distributed for research or educational purpose, free of charge and without permission. However, commercial use of the eRTR or the articles contained herein is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. In consideration for publication of your work, if published on behalf of the eRTR, the author agrees to transfer the work to the eRTR, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University, USA, including full and exclusive rights to publication in all media now known or later developed, including but not limited to electronic databases..." Published article is reproduced in this repository with permission. See also journal copyright policy at https://ertr.tamu.edu/paper-submission/copyright-policy/ |
| Useful Links: | |
| Depositing User: | Cody Paris |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Sep 2022 10:01 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Jan 2023 19:11 |
| URI: | https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/id/eprint/35696 |
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