Assessing Service Quality as an Effective Management Tool: The Case of the Airline Industry

This article reports the findings of a study that measured (1) perceived service quality of passenger airlines based on the SERVQUAL and the traditional industry-based measures, and (2) consumer awareness and usage of the Air Travel Consumer Report published and disseminated by the Department of Transportation. The results identify several SERVQUAL and industry-based items that significantly influence consumers’ perception of overall service quality and intention to repatronize. In addition, the results suggest that the Air Travel Consumer Report is not properly disseminated nor used by most consumers. Implications of these results for airline companies and transportation policy makers are discussed.