Servequal

Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 6, pp. 798 - 813, 2005

DIFFERENCE IN SERVICE QUALITY OF CROSS-STRAIT AIRLINES AND ITS EFFECT ON PASSENGERS’ PREFERENCES

Feng-I LING Ph.D. Candidate Department of Shipping and Transportation Management National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 2, Pei-Ning Road, Keelung, Taiwan, R.O.C. E-mail: amyling@cc.chit.edu.tw Kuang LIN Professor Department of Shipping and Transportation Management National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 2, Pei-Ning Road, Keelung, Taiwan, R.O.C. FAX: +886-2-25473638 Email: kuang_lin@pacificstargroup.com.tw

Jin-Long LU Assistant Professor Department of Aviation and Maritime Management Chang Jung Christian University 396, Chang Jung Rd., Sec. 1, Kway Jen, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C. FAX: +886-6-2785056 E-mail: jin@mail.cju.edu.tw

Abstract: This study developed an instrument, based on the SERVQUAL model, to gauge the characteristics of specific cross-strait routes, in order to measure the service quality, perceived by travelers from Taiwan and Mainland China, of cross-strait airlines. Further, we analyzed the differences in the perceived service quality provided by Taiwan cross-strait airlines and explored the relationships between service quality difference and passenger satisfaction and preference behaviors, using a path analysis model. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the perceptions of Taiwanese and Mainland Chinese travelers related to cross-strait airlines, in all service attributes. This implies that even though the peoples of Taiwan and Mainland China share the same culture and speak Mandarin, their perceptions of airline service quality can be quite different. Finally, the path analysis model results showed that not all services significantly affected passenger satisfaction. It was also found that some services affected passenger preferences towards certain airlines. Key Words: cross-strait...