Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is one of the most important marketing outcomes for businesses because customers’ evaluations of their experiences can influence future purchase behaviour, retention and loyalty (Kotler & Armstrong, 2004). In the airline industry, customer satisfaction is particularly important because air travel is a highly experiential service in which customers evaluate multiple interactions before, during and after a flight. These interactions include booking, check-in, airport procedures, boarding, cabin service, flight punctuality, baggage handling, digital communication and post-flight support.
Customer satisfaction is also a complex phenomenon involving cognitive, affective, psychological and behavioural dimensions (Bhattacharya & Singh, 2008). The Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory provides an important theoretical explanation. According to this theory, satisfaction or dissatisfaction emerges from the comparison between customers’ prior expectations and their subsequent perceptions of actual performance. When perceived performance exceeds expectations, positive disconfirmation occurs and satisfaction is likely to increase. Conversely, when performance falls below expectations, negative disconfirmation can result in dissatisfaction.
This relationship is particularly significant in aviation because passengers often form expectations before travelling based on airline reputation, previous experiences, price, advertising, online reviews, loyalty status and recommendations. Their eventual satisfaction therefore depends not simply on whether an airline provides a technically acceptable service, but on whether the total experience corresponds with or exceeds those expectations.
Recent industry evidence demonstrates that passenger satisfaction remains relatively strong while expectations are simultaneously becoming more demanding. IATA reported that 86% of passengers were satisfied with their travel experience in 2025, while also identifying baggage handling, border control and transfers as continuing sources of friction. This illustrates an important characteristic of modern airline customer satisfaction: airlines may improve overall satisfaction while still facing increasingly sophisticated passenger expectations.
Customer Satisfaction in the Airline Industry
Customer satisfaction can broadly be defined as the customer’s evaluation of whether a product or service has met or exceeded expectations. In aviation, this evaluation extends beyond the aircraft journey itself. A passenger’s experience begins with searching for and purchasing a ticket and continues through airport access, check-in, security, boarding, the flight, baggage collection and post-flight communication.
Consequently, customer satisfaction in aviation should be understood as an end-to-end passenger experience rather than merely an evaluation of in-flight service.
The importance of this broader perspective is reflected in contemporary industry measurement. J.D. Power’s airline satisfaction research evaluates multiple dimensions of the passenger journey, including airline staff, digital tools, ease of travel, trust, onboard experience, pre- and post-flight experience, and value for price paid. Its 2025 North America study found that overall passenger satisfaction increased by six points compared with 2024, with particularly strong improvement among economy/basic-economy passengers.
This evidence supports the argument that customer satisfaction is multidimensional. Passengers do not evaluate an airline exclusively according to traditional service-quality dimensions. Instead, satisfaction emerges from the cumulative experience of interacting with the airline and its wider service ecosystem.
2. Antecedents of Customer Satisfaction in the Aviation Industry
According to Szczepańska and Gawron (2011), customer satisfaction is shaped by customers’ subjective evaluations of products and services, the benefits and value they receive, and their overall interaction with a company. Kandampully and Suhartanto (2000) similarly identify customer satisfaction as a significant outcome of marketing activities.
In aviation, several major antecedents can be identified.
2.1 Service Quality
Service quality remains one of the most important antecedents of customer satisfaction. However, measuring airline service quality is challenging because services are characterised by intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity and perishability (Chang & Yeh, 2002).
Unlike tangible products, airline services cannot be fully inspected before consumption. Passengers therefore assess quality through observable and experiential indicators such as employee behaviour, punctuality, aircraft cleanliness, seat comfort, food and beverages, check-in efficiency, communication and responsiveness to problems.
Gilbert and Wong (2003) conceptualised airline service quality partly through the comparison between customer expectations and perceived performance. Similarly, Chen and Chang (2005) differentiated airline service elements into areas such as in-flight services and gaps between customer expectations and managerial perceptions.
The SERVQUAL model has also been applied to airline services (Pakdil & Aydin, 2007), while other research has examined specific dimensions of service quality and their relationship with satisfaction (Yang & Fang, 2004).
Recent industry evidence reinforces the continuing importance of service quality. J.D. Power’s 2025 study found that positive experiences with airline employees contributed substantially to higher satisfaction among economy/basic-economy passengers. Thus, although aviation is becoming increasingly digital, human interaction remains an important component of perceived service quality.
2.2 Reliability and On-Time Performance
Reliability is another critical antecedent of satisfaction. Passengers generally expect airlines to deliver the promised service at the promised time. Flight delays, cancellations, missed connections and operational disruptions can therefore produce substantial negative disconfirmation.
Recent evidence suggests that operational reliability is increasingly regarded as a customer-experience priority by airline executives. Deloitte’s 2025 global airline CEO survey found that more than half of surveyed CEOs identified operational reliability as one of their major customer-experience priorities.
Reliability is important because a passenger may evaluate an airline negatively even when other service dimensions are satisfactory. For example, comfortable seats, friendly employees and good food may not compensate for a major delay that causes a passenger to miss an onward connection.
Consequently, customer satisfaction research in aviation should treat reliability as both an operational and marketing variable.
2.3 Perceived Value and Price
Perceived value represents the customer’s assessment of the benefits received relative to the financial and non-financial costs incurred. Airline passengers increasingly compare the total value of an itinerary rather than simply the advertised ticket price.
Additional charges for baggage, seat selection, meals, priority boarding and other services can affect perceptions of fairness and value. This is especially relevant for low-cost carriers, whose business models often rely on unbundling the basic transportation service from ancillary products.
The importance of value is reflected in contemporary satisfaction measurement. J.D. Power includes value for price paid among the dimensions used to assess airline passenger satisfaction. IATA’s 2025 public-opinion research similarly found that 78% of surveyed travellers considered air travel good value for money.
Therefore, price alone does not determine satisfaction. Instead, passengers evaluate whether the overall experience justifies the amount paid.
2.4 Convenience and Accessibility
Convenience has become increasingly important as passengers seek faster and more seamless journeys. Customers value easy booking, mobile check-in, digital boarding passes, simple baggage procedures, efficient airport navigation and timely information.
IATA’s 2025 Global Passenger Survey indicates that speed, convenience and digital tools remain important throughout the passenger journey. The survey found that 78% of passengers wanted a single application incorporating their digital wallet, passport and loyalty cards, while 88% said real-time baggage tracking would increase their confidence.
These findings suggest that convenience is no longer limited to physical airport facilities. It increasingly incorporates digital convenience, whereby technology reduces friction throughout the passenger journey.
2.5 Digital Experience and Technology
Digitalisation has become a major antecedent of customer satisfaction in aviation. Airline websites and mobile applications are now important points of interaction for booking, payment, check-in, boarding, disruption management, loyalty programmes and customer support.
Deloitte’s 2025 airline CEO research identified digital and mobile experience as the most frequently selected customer-experience initiative among surveyed CEOs, with 65% selecting it as a priority.
Similarly, SITA’s 2025 passenger research found that 79% of passengers were ready for digital identities on their phones, while nearly seven in ten travellers were comfortable with biometric scanning at airports.
These developments indicate that digital technology is becoming part of perceived service quality. A technically efficient digital experience can reduce waiting, uncertainty and effort, whereas poorly designed applications, website failures or inadequate disruption communication can become sources of dissatisfaction.
2.6 Employee Service and Human Interaction
Despite the growth of automation, employees remain central to airline customer satisfaction. Cabin crew, check-in personnel, gate agents and customer-service employees can significantly influence passengers’ perceptions, particularly when problems occur.
The importance of employees becomes even greater during service failures. When flights are delayed or cancelled, passengers require information, empathy and practical assistance. Effective employee responses may therefore reduce the negative effects of service failure.
J.D. Power’s 2025 findings provide empirical support for this relationship: positive experiences with airline staff were associated with a nine-point increase in satisfaction in the economy/basic-economy segment.
Thus, technology and human service should not necessarily be viewed as substitutes. Modern airline customer experience increasingly depends on an appropriate combination of digital convenience and effective human assistance.
2.7 In-Flight Experience
The in-flight experience remains an important component of perceived airline service quality. Park et al. (2005) identify reliability and customer service, convenience and accessibility, and in-flight services as major dimensions of airline service quality.
Passengers may evaluate seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food and beverages, entertainment, Wi-Fi availability, cabin crew behaviour and the overall cabin environment. Expectations differ considerably according to traveller type, journey length, fare class and airline business model.
For example, passengers travelling on a full-service carrier may expect meals, entertainment and more extensive customer support, whereas passengers choosing a low-cost carrier may accept a more limited-service offering in exchange for lower fares.
This means that service quality should be evaluated relative to the value proposition communicated by the airline. A low-cost service is not necessarily perceived as poor quality simply because it provides fewer amenities; dissatisfaction is more likely when actual performance falls below the expectations created by the airline’s proposition.
2.8 Safety Perception and Trust
Safety is a particularly important factor in aviation because passengers entrust airlines with their physical wellbeing. Wessels (2006) identified safety perception as an important influence on airline choice.
Although passengers may have limited technical knowledge with which to evaluate aviation safety, they form perceptions through airline reputation, regulatory oversight, communication, aircraft condition, employee professionalism and responses to safety-related events.
Trust therefore functions as an important psychological component of satisfaction. Recent airline satisfaction research also incorporates trust as a distinct passenger-experience dimension.
The implication is that airlines need to communicate consistently and transparently while maintaining reliable operational and safety practices. Trust can be difficult to build but may be particularly vulnerable to service failures and poor communication.
3. Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty
Customer loyalty can be conceptualised as a customer’s tendency to repeatedly purchase products or services from the same brand. Beh Yin and Faziharudean (2010) describe loyalty through continued patronage and repeated purchasing behaviour.
In aviation, loyalty may be demonstrated through repeated airline selection, participation in frequent-flyer programmes, preference for a particular carrier, willingness to recommend the airline and concentration of travel spending with one airline.
However, customer satisfaction and loyalty are related but distinct constructs. A satisfied passenger may still switch airlines because of lower prices, better schedules, route availability, corporate travel policies or stronger loyalty benefits.
This distinction is particularly important because airline customers frequently face high levels of choice. Loyalty can therefore be influenced by both satisfaction and structural factors such as switching costs, network coverage, flight frequency and the availability of substitutes.
Recent evidence nevertheless indicates a strong relationship between the quality of the passenger experience and future behavioural intentions. J.D. Power reported in its 2025 North America study that 81% of passengers describing their overall experience as “perfect” said they definitely intended to fly with that airline again, compared with 4% among passengers describing their experience as “poor.”
This supports the theoretical proposition that customer experience and satisfaction can play an important role in future loyalty behaviour, while also demonstrating that satisfaction should not be treated as synonymous with loyalty.
4. Frequent-Flyer Programmes and Customer Loyalty
Frequent-flyer programmes (FFPs) have traditionally been one of the principal mechanisms through which airlines attempt to encourage repeat purchase. Yi and Jeon (2003) argue that reward programmes can influence customer loyalty, while Hess, Adler and Polak (2007) examine their role in customer preference and airline choice.
However, the effectiveness of loyalty programmes may differ among passenger groups. Carlsson and Lofgren (2006) argue that frequent-flyer programmes tend to be particularly valuable to business travellers and may generate less interest among occasional leisure passengers.
Recent evidence suggests that airline loyalty programmes are undergoing further transformation. Deloitte reported in 2026 that loyalty programmes represented approximately 11%–13% of revenue for full-service U.S. carriers in 2025. At the same time, its research indicates that highly loyal customers do not necessarily perceive loyalty programmes as delivering proportionately greater value.
This suggests that loyalty cannot be created simply by increasing the number of rewards. Airlines increasingly need to provide relevant recognition, meaningful benefits and convenient engagement throughout the customer journey.
5. Low-Cost Airlines and Customer Satisfaction
Low-cost carriers represent a distinctive context for studying customer satisfaction because their competitive strategies are based on cost efficiency, simplified service offerings and price-sensitive market positioning.
Graham and Vowels (2006) note that low-cost airlines traditionally compete through point-to-point short-haul travel, low fares, limited in-flight services and direct sales.
The absence of complimentary meals, reduced cabin services or additional fees does not automatically mean that customers are dissatisfied. Instead, passengers evaluate these characteristics against their expectations and the price they paid.
This distinction is important within Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory. A passenger who expects a basic, low-cost service may experience positive confirmation if the airline delivers a reliable journey at the promised price. Conversely, the same service could generate dissatisfaction if the passenger expects a full-service experience.
Consequently, airline customer satisfaction should not be measured independently of customer segment, fare type and value proposition.
6. The Emerging Role of Personalisation
Airline customer expectations are increasingly becoming personalised. Passengers differ according to age, purpose of travel, income, frequency of travel, digital behaviour and preferred service attributes.
A business traveller may prioritise punctuality, lounge access and schedule flexibility, while a leisure passenger may place greater emphasis on price, baggage allowance and ease of booking.
This creates an opportunity for airlines to move from a standardised service model towards data-informed personalisation. Digital platforms can allow airlines to recognise customer preferences and provide more relevant offers, information and support.
However, personalisation must be balanced with transparency and convenience. Excessive complexity or poorly targeted offers may increase rather than reduce customer effort.
7. Baggage Handling and Service Recovery
Baggage remains an important source of passenger frustration. IATA’s latest passenger research identifies baggage handling as one of the weaker points in the overall travel journey.
Technology offers airlines an opportunity to address this problem. IATA’s 2025 Global Passenger Survey found that 88% of passengers would feel more confident if they could track their baggage in real time.
This demonstrates an important shift in the meaning of service quality. Customers increasingly expect not only successful service delivery but also visibility and control when something goes wrong.
Effective service recovery is consequently an important component of satisfaction. When service failure cannot be prevented, airlines can potentially reduce dissatisfaction through rapid communication, accurate information, compensation where appropriate and effective problem resolution.
8. Sustainability and Customer Expectations
Environmental sustainability is another emerging dimension of airline customer expectations. Passengers increasingly encounter information about carbon emissions, sustainable aviation fuel and environmental impacts when choosing flights.
SITA’s 2025 passenger research reported that nearly nine in ten travellers were willing to pay extra to fly more sustainably.
However, sustainability should be understood as one element within a broader value proposition rather than as a replacement for fundamental service quality. Passengers continue to expect airlines to provide safe, reliable, convenient and reasonably priced transportation.
For airlines, this creates a complex challenge: sustainability initiatives need to be communicated credibly while maintaining operational reliability and perceived value.
9. A Contemporary Model of Airline Customer Satisfaction
Based on the existing literature and recent industry evidence, airline customer satisfaction can be conceptualised as the result of several interconnected antecedents:
Service quality → perceived value → customer satisfaction → behavioural intentions → customer loyalty
At the same time, several contextual factors influence this relationship:
- Reliability and punctuality
- Employee service
- Digital experience
- Convenience and accessibility
- In-flight experience
- Baggage handling
- Safety perception and trust
- Price and ancillary fees
- Loyalty programme benefits
- Personalisation
- Sustainability expectations
- Service recovery following disruption
The model also needs to account for customer expectations. The same service performance can produce different satisfaction outcomes depending on what the passenger expected before travelling.
For example:
Performance > Expectations → Positive disconfirmation → Higher satisfaction
Performance = Expectations → Confirmation → Satisfaction
Performance < Expectations → Negative disconfirmation → Dissatisfaction
This framework remains highly relevant because modern airline customers form expectations from multiple sources, including previous experience, social media, online reviews, loyalty status, advertising and digital interactions.
10. Implications for Airline Managers
The contemporary airline industry suggests that customer satisfaction should be managed as an end-to-end experience rather than as an isolated service-quality measure.
First, airlines need to improve operational reliability because delays and disruptions can undermine satisfaction even when other service dimensions perform well. Second, airlines should invest in digital tools that simplify booking, check-in, boarding, communication and disruption management.
Third, airlines should continue investing in employees. Digitalisation does not eliminate the need for human interaction; instead, employees become particularly important when customers encounter complex problems.
Fourth, airlines should manage customer expectations carefully. Promising more than can be delivered may create negative disconfirmation, whereas transparent communication can create more realistic expectations.
Finally, loyalty programmes should be designed around genuine customer value rather than rewards alone. Recent research suggests that the future of airline loyalty will increasingly depend on relevance, recognition and integration across the broader travel journey.
Conclusion
Customer satisfaction remains a fundamental marketing objective in the airline industry because it is closely connected with customer perceptions, behavioural intentions, retention and loyalty. Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory provides a useful framework for explaining how passengers compare expected service performance with their actual experiences.
The traditional literature identifies service quality, perceived value, convenience, in-flight services, safety perception and loyalty programmes as important factors influencing airline customer satisfaction. Contemporary industry evidence extends this framework by highlighting operational reliability, digital experience, biometric technology, baggage visibility, personalisation, employee interactions and sustainability.
Recent IATA research indicates that overall passenger satisfaction reached a high level in 2025, but passengers continue to expect faster, more convenient and more digitally integrated journeys. At the same time, airline-industry research demonstrates that operational reliability and employee interactions remain important alongside technological innovation.
Therefore, customer satisfaction in aviation should not be understood simply as passengers being satisfied with the flight itself. It is the cumulative result of expectations, perceived service quality, price-value relationships, operational performance, digital interactions, human service and the overall passenger journey. Airlines that understand these interconnected antecedents can develop more comprehensive approaches to customer experience, satisfaction and long-term customer relationships.
By Team Cite&Write
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