Measuring and evaluating airport service quality in an expanding market: the case of Chinese Airlines

Abstract: Civil Air Service in China has grown dramatically in recent years. The main purpose of the study was to understand customer expectations on airport services performance of Chinese airlines, investigate whether there are difference between customer perception and customer expectation. Th...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: XU, YAN
Format: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2012
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/25537/
Description
Summary:Abstract: Civil Air Service in China has grown dramatically in recent years. The main purpose of the study was to understand customer expectations on airport services performance of Chinese airlines, investigate whether there are difference between customer perception and customer expectation. The data were collected via a questionnaire-based online survey and face to face interviews with some airport service managers of Chinese airlines. The survey was conducted on a professional research network platform, and total 210 respondents filled the questionnaire online. The result tells us that the customers have higher expectations on airport service quality provided by Chinese airlines than what the customers have perceived. Although China Civil Aviation industry has made a big progress in the recent 5 years since 2007, there are still big rooms for further improvements on airport service quality especially in comparison with the other world-level foreign carriers. 02 useful models are adopted in this study: The RATER Model helps to judge quality based on multiple factors via five dimensions of service quality: Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, and Responsiveness. And the Gap model is used to identify service gaps. Analysis and discussion also proceeded on sustainable airport service management and the development of low-cost airlines in China. In such a competitive market, the airport services manager’s main task is to balance the customer’s perceptions of the services against their expectations and to close any gaps that might appear between them. The brand promise sets expectations, expectations are aligned with trust, and trust begets loyalty.