Measuring airport service quality: A multidimensional approach

Abstract

Currently, airports are expected to be operated as self-sufficient service organizations providing efficient and high-quality services to different customers. In this context, improving airport service quality (ASQ) has become paramount. However, due to the complexity of the airport service environment, an effective process of measuring and analyzing passengers´ perceptions of ASQ is not simply achieved. Generic scales for perceived service quality might not cover some particularities of the passenger-airport interaction. Furthermore, while some measurement practices have been developed within the airport industry, there was only limited consideration for validity and reliability. These concerns are certainly relevant to avoid misapprehension of passengers´ perceptions. In view of that, this paper has a twofold objective. First, to fit a measurement model for perceived ASQ built on typical service measures within the airport industry. Second, to test for the model equivalence across groups of passengers. Sample data from an extensive survey applied at a main Brazilian airport was used for confirmatory factor analysis. The results suggested that a six-factor structure provides a meaningful multi-item measurement model for perceived ASQ. The model was validated for international and domestic departing passengers as regards its factorial structure and metric invariance. The proposed measurement model could be considered an alternative for a multidimensional approach in the context of airport performance measurement as regards service quality. Finally, the findings arising from this research might contribute to the discussion on passengers´ perceptions of ASQ, particularly concerning its multidimensionality and the need for reviewing current practices for ASQ analysis.