DOMESTIC AIRLINES

Quality of service and

consumer satisfaction

Prof. Sri Ram Khanna

Paramjeet Singh

www.consumer-voice.org
 Recent QoS Studies by Consumer Voice
1. Assessment of Quality of Banking Services: Savings,
ATM, Credit, Debit Cards (2005/06) Sample size =
3100
2. Assessment of quality of Insurance services
(2005/06): Vehicle, Life, Home and Medical Sample
Size = 3700
3. Assessment of Quality of Health Services (2007/08)
Sample = 4000
4. Assessment of Quality of Mobile Services (2007/08)
Sample = 4500
5. Assessment of Quality of Broadband Services
(2007/08) Sample = 1500

 Objective of Study
üCustomer loyalty is a direct result of customer
satisfaction
üSatisfaction, on the other hand, is largely influenced
by value of service provided to customers
üTherefore, customer-perceived quality and price is the
driver of growth of airline industry
üTherefore, our study focused on quality of service as
perceived by consumers
 Focus of This Study
(Primary Survey of Consumers as Users )

Ranking of services based on

consumers ’ experience on various
parameters .
Consumers perception on problems with

airline services
Consumer perception on airlines

redressal mechanism .


1. 

Adapted from Which? UK, and Euroconsumer model

 FACTORS – QOAS MODEL

Q1
Booking

Q2
Check in

Q3 Total Consumer
In flight quality Satisfaction
factors TC PS
Q4
Baggage
handling
Q5
Redressal
 Methodology
Desk research of literature, QoS reports, models and
regulations of DGCAs
Situation analysis involving interaction with stake

holders – Airline Operators, Consumers, Regulators,

consumer organisations and consumer activists
Recording factors under parameters from each of the

stake holders – altogether 153 factors were recorded

Brain storming session to understand factors which are

important and have influence on QoAS.



1.
 Methodology – situation analysis
SN Dimensions Total no . of
1 FFP Factors factors
4
2 Reasons for preferred airline 31
3 Reasons for booking ticket online 8
4 Reasons for booking ticket through Travel agent 4
5 Perception of Website of main airline 4
6 Information system delay , cancellation and change in schedule 10
7 Perception on tele , web check in facility 5
8 Perception on assistance during checkin 3
9 Perception on ground staff 9
10 Percpetion on busses for boarding and deplaning 6
11 Perception on Boarding plane and deplaning 2
12 Percption on quality of crew members 17
13 Percption on inflight meal services - FSC 5
14 Percption on inflight meal services - LCC 6
15 Perception on other inflight services 6
16 Percption on cleanliness in the aircraft / washroom 4
17 Perception baggage handling mechanism 9
18 Awareness about
redressal mechanism 6
19 Complaint and redressal 6
1.
20 Suggestions for improvement 6
21 Awareness about service differences of various categries of 2
Totalpassangers
factors 153

Altogether 21 dimensions and 153 factors were listed during the sitution
analysis
 Methodology – Importance Imflience Matrix

Out of 153 factors 130 were considered to be important and which could
influence the QoAS
 Methodology contd....
Draft questionnaire was prepared based on important and
influential factors
This was pilot tested in Mumbai and Delhi.

Stakeholders consultation to expose the methodology and

get the feed back from stakeholders.

Suggestions of all the stakeholders were incorporated in

the final questionnaire.

Final questionnaire based on feed back from pilot test.



 Analysis & Reporting
Descriptive comparison: Reported at the individual level
of a service provider.
Analytic Comparison

Using the statistical tools such as ANOVA and Post hoc

Analysis for qualitative ranking . rTwo values were
considered for this purpose:
Overall analyses of variance ( ANOVA ):
Test on homogeneity of variances within subgroups
 Regression analysis: to find out the factors those
impact the quality of service



 Sample Construct......
City wise and airline wise target sample
S.No. Airline City Total
Bangalore Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata Mumbai
1 Air India 35 65 145 40 65 150 500
2 Go Air  NA NA  40  NA NA 55 95
3 Indigo 65 35 115 45 80 80 420
4 Jet Airways 95 90 150 45 65 265 710
5 Jet Lite 35 35 95 35 45 75 320
6 Kingfisher 165 115 205 120 105 205 915
7 MDLR  NA  NA 35 NA  35 NA  70
8 Paramount 35 35 NA  35  NA NA  105
9 Spicejet 50 40 130 35 35 75 365
Total 480 415 915 355 430 905 3500
NA stands for Not Applicable. No sample was considered in the case of NA on account of two
reasons. (1) The airline does not have the operation in this city. (2) The figure arrived was
too low therefore statistically not considered to be included

Basis: AAI statistics for the year 2008/09

 Sample Distribution....
Initially it was decided to conduct survey at the airports.
However, due to complexities and procedural delays with
regard to police verrification of investigatirs, it was
decided to carry out survey in the cities based on proper
sample distribution.
City sample was broken down based on PIN codes.
75% of PIN codes covered in Delhi and Mumbai
50% of PIN codes in Bangalore, Chennai. Hyderabad and Kolkata
PIN code areas were selected in the in all the zones of a city

 Respondent selection criteria....
Respondents were selected based on number of flights
they have travelled in the last 12months.
Only those were considered as qualified respondents
who had taken at least 6 flights in the last 12
months.
Qualifiedrespondents Main Airline was determined
through highest number/ frequency of an Airlines
s/he had chosen to travel in the last 12 months.
All the questions/ information sought from him/ her
were regarding the MAIN AIRLINE

DOMESTIC AIRLINES

Results – QoAS
 Achieved sample

1.

Total achieved =
3715
 Sample profile - Education

Over 3 out of 5 (63%) PAX contacted were graduate.

Nearly 30% were post graduate.
 Sample profile - age

95% were below 45 years

Majority (60%) were young in the age group of 25-35 years.

Other 18% were between 36 - 45 years
 Sample profile - Occupation

Only 8% were Govt. or public sector emp

Half of them had their own business.

40% were employee of private companies
 Frequency of Travel (12 months)
City wise
4334
3948 34936 10023
Total 3434 4092 9105
Fligh
ts

11.0
10.2
9.4

9.4
9.2
8.4
7.8

Total
Pax 439 488 987 421 3715 987 393

3715 have taken altogether around 35,000 flights. Average 9.4 flights per PAX

Hyderabad occupies top position – 11 flights per PAX in last 12 months.
People1.largely travel for business purpose – 3104 PAX h ad taken 21,500
flights.
Average business travel – 7 flights per PAX.
Again Hyderabad at the top – 8.8 flights per PAX
However, 2757 had also travelled for personal reason. – 5 flights per PAX.
In Mumbai on average a PAX had taken 5.5 flights for personal purpose in the
last 12 months
 Frequency of Travel (12 months)
Airline wise
9617

6910
6316

3740
2457 3370
1433
408 685

74 129 468 528 939 889 1639 1623 2190

People have travelled mostly on Kingfisher – 2190 PAX took over

9600 flights – average 4.4 flights per PAX in last 12 months .
Jet airways is the 2nd most travelled airline – 1623 PAX took over
6900 flights – average 4.3 flights per PAX in last 12 months.
Kingfisher is preferred both for business as well as personal tour.
 Main Reason to choose airline
Top Reason for FSCs
Air India, Kingfisher, Indigo
Jet Aiways, Indigo, MDLR

Top Reason for LCCs

1.
 How do people book tickets...

Generally booking is done though Travel agents – indicated by over 44%.

However, 2 out of 5 (40%) book directly though their airline.
Over 22% book through OTAs – and its growing – found highest in Delhi
Yatra.com (57%) and Makemytrip.com (47%) are the most popular engine.
 Mode of booking tickets...

Web site, both in the case of booking through airline or OTAs, is the major
mode of booking.
In the case of booking through airline, nearly one fourth also use OTC mode.
Only 10% book through toll free/ phone in the case of OTAs
 Awareness about modes of check-in...

1.

All were aware about counter check in . Other modes more

popular amongst FSCs
 Awareness & Usage of modes of check-in...

1.

All were aware & using counter check in . Other modes more popular
amongst FSCs
 Comparison of consumer
satisfaction with quality of
service between airlines


1.
Overall satisfaction with web site of airline while
booking tickets

1.

There was no significant difference in the satisfaction

scores
Satisfaction on different aspects of booking tickets through
airlines ’ website

Web site of Kingfisher received higher score on most of the aspects.

LCCs’ web site also received high score on many aspects
Overall satisfaction with airline information system

1.
All Airline
Average = 7 . 6

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Satisfaction on different aspects of Airlines information system

Paramount received high score on three aspects.

Most of the airline got similar score on all aspects.
Overall satisfaction with the quality of check - in at the
Airport

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

 Overall satisfaction with the cabin crew members

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Overall satisfaction with different aspects of the quality
of cabin crew members

1.

Paramount received high score (8 – 8.99) on all the aspects.

Go Air too scored high on many aspects.
 Availing meal facility

1. all the FSCs meal is provided complementary

In
Around 50% in LCCs avail food on payments.
Around one third do not avail meal facility.
Rest indicated they get food on complementary basis
 Overall satisfaction with quality of meal served

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Overall satisfaction with different aspects of the quality
of meal served in the airline

1.

Paramount received high scores (8 – 8.99) on three aspects.

MDLR also attaned high scores on two aspects.
 Overall satisfaction with other inflight services

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Overall satisfaction with different aspects of other
inflight services

1.

Paramount received high scores (8 – 8.99) on most of the aspects.

 Overall satisfaction with the quality of baggage
handling mechanism

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Overall satisfaction with different aspects of baggage
handling mechanism

1.

Paramount received high scores (8 – 8.99) on most of the aspects.

 Ever had a problem with any of the airline


All Airline average = 4.5%
1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

 Nature of problem ....

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Complaint to and responses from Airline

1.

Almost all the travelers of all the airline , who had

made complaints regarding deficiencies of service , got
response from the airline
 Was the problem solved

1.

Go Air was able to solve the problem completely of all the

complainants
However , nearly 15 % complainants of Air India and Paramount
felt that there problem was not solved at all
Overall satisfaction with the quality of airline service

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Overall satisfaction with different aspects of quality of
airline service

1.

Paramount and Go Air received high scores (8 – 8.99) on most of the aspects.
Kingfisher also performed well.
Overall satisfaction with different aspects of quality of
airline service .... contd ...

1.

Paramount and Go Air received high scores (8 – 8.99) on most of the aspects.
Kingfisher also performed well.
 Will you recommend your airline to your relatives or
close friends?
A reliable satisfaction indicator is the recommendation of the service
provider to a close friend or relative

1.

Significant difference found @95 % confidence level

Vaariablesthose impact the domestic airline service in
India?

A reliable satisfaction
indicator is the recommendation
of the service provider to a
close friend or relative

The regression model found that out of 15 variables analysed

altogether 10 variables had an impact on the quality of
service @95 % confidence level
 THANK YOU

Prof. Sri Ram Khanna

Paramjeet Singh
AND
Voice Research Team

Www.Consumer-voice.Org