Title: Exploring the linkage between service quality and customer satisfaction in the Chinese air industry during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Wasim Ahmad; Abdul Waheed; Farrah Arif; Rana Muhammad Sohail Jafar; Noshin Fatima

Addresses: UCSI Graduate Business School, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia ' Dr Hasan Murad School of Management (HSM), University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan ' Dr Hasan Murad School of Management (HSM), University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan ' Graduate Business School, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia ' Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia

Abstract: Most companies of the world have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Only healthcare and necessary personnel were permitted during the early stages of the epidemic to come out of their homes. This article aimed to examine the airline industry's service quality in China for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic using the AIRQUAL scale. The questionnaire consisted of 58 items and was completed by 1,002 people being selected using convenience sample method. The causal linkages among AIRQUAL dimensions, COVID-19 safety procedure, and customer satisfaction (CS) were determined by employing SEM. The results revealed that six dimensions, i.e., terminal tangibles, airline tangibles, image, empathy, and COVID-19 protocols have a positive direct effect on CS in terms of Chinese airline industry. Furthermore, personnel service has a substantial detrimental impact on CS. This research is one of the pioneers that investigated the quality of airline service during the COVID-19 era. The results may offer the government an assessment for the aviation industry's adherence to the COVID-19 procedures.

Keywords: service quality; COVID-19; customer satisfaction; Chinese airline industry; AIRQUAL scale.

DOI: 10.1504/IJECRM.2023.131076

International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management, 2023 Vol.14 No.1, pp.1 - 19

Received: 15 Jul 2022
Accepted: 27 Oct 2022
Published online: 24 May 2023 *

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