Airline Service Quality: A Revisited Concept‎

  • Authors

    • Harith Yas Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
    • Ahmad Jusoh Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia
    https://doi.org/10.14419/nczt3a62

    Received date: July 10, 2025

    Accepted date: August 13, 2025

    Published date: August 31, 2025

  • Carbon Footprint; Displacement Matrix; Carbon Disclosure; Return Index
  • Abstract

    This article critically examines the development of service quality constructs in airline services, placing particular emphasis on the continuing ‎pursuit of reliability in operationalizing perceived customer perceptions. Although numerous conventional models, such as SERVQUAL, ‎have been widely used to measure service quality, they have also been criticized in general for their inability to document industry specifics ‎and to reflect the evolving expectations of airline customers. To address these constraints, many authors have developed alternative methodologies that can be better adapted to the complicated context of the airline industry. This paper analyses established and evolving airline service ‎quality models, scrutinizing the strengths, limitations, and implications of the models in the airline industry today. The paper adds to the ‎current literature on the theoretical foundations and criticisms of service quality models, contributing to the continued improvement of service quality assessment instruments. Particular emphasis is placed on delineating the impact of service quality on satisfaction, behavioral ‎loyalty, and psychological variables, such as price elasticity and perceptions of value. The findings of this study reveal the strategic role of ‎service quality as a competitive advantage, especially in mature, price-sensitive markets. It suggests that a more defined, context-specific ‎evaluation framework will help airlines to more closely match their level of service delivery with customer expectations. Overall, this paper ‎recommends the development of more holistic and context-specific models to improve service quality measurement, facilitate strategic planning, and manage customer relationships in the airline industry‎.

  • References

    1. Abdel Rady, Hussein. "Measuring Airline Service Quality Using AIRQUAL Model: A Study Applied to Egyptair." International Journal of Herit-age, Tourism and Hospitality 12.1 (2018): 271-290. https://doi.org/10.21608/ijhth.2018.31517.
    2. Aboelazm, K. (2022). The Role of Digital Transformation in Improving the Judicial System in the Egyptian Council of State: An Applied Study from a Comparative Perspective. Journal of Law and Emerging Technologies, 2(1), 11-50. https://doi.org/10.54873/jolets.v2i1.41.
    3. Aboelazm, K. (2023). The Debatable Issues in the Rule of Law in British Constitutional History and Its Influence on the Egyptian Constitutions. International Journal of Doctrine, Judiciary and Legislation, 4(2), 521-568.
    4. Aboelazm, K. S. (2021). The constitutional framework for public policy in the Middle East and North Africa countries. International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 7(3), 187-203. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPLAP.2021.118325.
    5. Aboelazm, K. S. (2022). E-procurement in the international experience: an approach to reduce corruption in administrative contracts in Egypt. In-ternational Journal of Procurement Management, 15(3), 340-364. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPM.2022.122570.
    6. Aboelazm, K. S. (2023). Policies and Legal Framework of Involving Small and Medium Enterprises in Administrative Contracts in Egypt: Dynam-ics and Influences. International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 9(1), 61-74. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPLAP.2023.127316.
    7. Aboelazm, K. S. (2023). THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRESIDENT'S AUTHORITIES IN THE EGYPTIAN CONSTITUTIONS. Russian Law Journal, 11(2), 365-376. https://doi.org/10.52783/rlj.v11i2.883.
    8. Aboelazm, K. S. (2023). The legal framework and policies for sustainable administrative contracts in Egypt: reality and challenges. International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 9(2), 111-129. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPLAP.2023.130011.
    9. Aboelazm, K. S. (2023). The Role of Judicial Review on the Acts of Sovereignty in Egypt. Central European Management Journal, 31(1), 485-495.
    10. Aboelazm, K. S. (2023). The success of the E-voting to Enhance the Political Engagement: A Comparative Study. Journal of Law and Sustainable Development, 11(11), e1732-e1732. https://doi.org/10.55908/sdgs.v11i11.1732.
    11. Aboelazm, K. S. (2024). a. Using E-Tenders in the United Arab Emirates to Enhance Transparency and Integrity, Kurdish Studies, 12 (1), 106–117. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPM.2023.10060187.
    12. Aboelazm, K. S. (2024). Supreme Constitutional Court review of the legislative omission in Egypt in light of international experiences. Heliyon, 10(17). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37269.
    13. Aboelazm, K. S. (2024). The role of judicial review in the settlement of state contract disputes. Corporate Law & Governance Review, 6(3), 122-134. https://doi.org/10.22495/clgrv6i3p13.
    14. Aboelazm, K. S. (2025). A new era of public procurement: Critical issues of procuring artificial intelligence systems to produce public services. In-ternational Journal of Law and Management, (ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLMA-06-2024-0208.
    15. Aboelazm, K. S. (2025). An inevitable dialogue of professional ethics–an enlightenment perception of upholding professional ethics in public pro-curement jobs. Journal of Public Procurement, (ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/JOPP-06-2024-0066.
    16. Aboelazm, K. S. (2025). The Judicial Constitutional Review for the Legislative Omission: A Comparative Study. Krytyka Prawa, 316. https://doi.org/10.7206/kp.2080-1084.766.
    17. Aboelazm, K. S., & Afandy, A. (2019). Centralization and decentralization of public procurement: Analysis for the role of General Authority for Governmental Services (GAGS) in Egypt. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 16(3), 262-276. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAMR-05-2018-0049.
    18. Aboelazm, K. S., & Ramadan, S. A. (2023). Transformation to E-Public Procurement in the United Arab Emirates in the Light of the UNCITRAL Model Law. Journal of Law and Sustainable Development, 11(8), e1499-e1499. https://doi.org/10.55908/sdgs.v11i8.1499.
    19. Aboelazm, K. S., Dganni, K. M., Tawakol, F., & Sharif, H. (2024). Robotic judges: a new step towards justice or the exclusion of humans?. Journal of Lifestyle and SDG Review, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v4.n04.pe02515.
    20. Aboelazm, K. S., Ibrahim, E., Sharif, H., & Tawakol, F. (2025). Policies of Civil Service Leadership Reform in Egypt and the United Arab Emir-ates in Light of the United Kingdom's Experience. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 5(2), e03304-e03304. https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v5.n02.pe03304.
    21. Aboelazm, K. S., Obeidat, M. A., Tawakol, F., Alfil, N. Z., & Ul Haq, F. H. I. (2025). Ameliorating Public Procurement Performance: Green Public Procurement Policies Within a Legislative Framework. Corporate Law and Governance Review, 7(2), 21. https://doi.org/10.22495/clgrv7i2p2.
    22. Aboelazm, K. S., Tawakol, F., Dganni, K. M., & AlFil, N. Z. (2024). Public-Private Partnership: A New Policy to Ameliorate the Quality of Public Utility Services to the Public. Journal of Lifestyle and SDG Review, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v4.n04.pe02509
    23. Aboelazm, K. S., Tawakol, F., Ibrahim, E., & Ramadan, S. A. (2025). The Legal Framework for BOT Contracts in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 5(2), e03286-e03286. https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v5.n02.pe03286.
    24. Aboelazm, K. S., Tawakol, F., Ibrahim, E., & Sharif, H. (2025). Improving Public Sector Procurement Methods in International Practices: a Com-parative Study. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 5(2), e03287-e03287. https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v5.n02.pe03287.
    25. Albayati, Y. K., Allouzi, A. S., Abdalaziz, M. M. O., Al-Ali, M., & Yas, H. (2025). Development of a sustainable society and economy based on knowledge in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(2), 854. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v8i2.5340.
    26. Albayati, Y. K., Allouzi, A. S., Abdalaziz, M. M. O., Al-Ali, M., & Yas, H. (2025). Development of a sustainable society and economy based on knowledge in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(2), 854. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v8i2.5340.
    27. AlKhamaiseh, M. A., Allouzi, A., & Karima, K. R. I. M. (2025). The adequacy of the UAE Commercial Law in 2023 in regulating artificial intelli-gence as a subject of the contract. Research Journal in Advanced Humanities, 6(1), 1-12.
    28. Allouzi, A. S. (2024). Digital justice and its impact on the functioning of procedural rivalry in UAE law. Research Journal in Advanced Humanities, 5(4), 300-315. https://doi.org/10.58256/4f8zyx55.
    29. Allouzi, A. S. (2024). Mediation and conciliation centers and their impact on resolving legal disputes in the UAE “Under Federal Law No. 17 of 2016 and its amendment No. 5 of 2021”. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(10), 6703. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i10.6703.
    30. AlLouzi, A. S., & Alomari, K. M. (2023). Adequate legal rules in settling metaverse disputes: Hybrid legal framework for metaverse dispute resolu-tion (HLFMDR). International Journal of Data & Network Science, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.8.001.
    31. Allouzi, A. S., & Yas, N. (2024). Procedural aspects of civil liability for nuclear damages in UAE law. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Devel-opment, 8(9), 6705. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i9.6705.
    32. Allouzi, A.S., Alomari, K.M., Maghaydah, S. (2024). Enhancing game classification systems with machine learning: A comparative study on tech-niques and legal implications. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8 (4), pp. 2319-2332. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2024.5.024.
    33. Atalık, Özlem, Mahmut Bakır, and Şahap Akan. "The role of in-flight service quality on value for money in business class: a logit model on the air-line industry." Administrative Sciences 9.1 (2019): 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci9010026.
    34. Boin, Arjen, Sanneke Kuipers, and Werner Overdijk. "Leadership in times of crisis: A framework for assessment." International Review of Public Administration 18.1 (2013): 79-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/12294659.2013.10805241.
    35. Büyüközkan, Gülçin, et al. "A combined group decision making based IFCM and SERVQUAL approach for strategic analysis of airline service quality." Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems 38.1 (2020): 859-872. https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-179454.
    36. Chang, Yu-Hern, and Chung-Hsing Yeh. "A survey analysis of service quality for domestic airlines." European Journal of Operational Research 139.1 (2002): 166-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(01)00148-5.
    37. Dafri, W., Yas, N., Salem, O., Khalifa, A. A., & AlLouzi, A. S. (2025). Policies and laws governing digital customer and government services in the Emirates. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(4), 1161-1172. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v8i4.8038.
    38. Dissanayake, D. M. R., and R. A. S. Weerasiri. "The impact of perceived effectiveness of celebrity endorsement on perceived brand personality." Journal of Accounting & Marketing 6.3 (2017): 1-9.
    39. Elyat, M. N., Al Bayati, N. Y., Al Baloushi, N. A., Sarhan, M. I., Marks, A. A., Khudhair, H. Y., & Allouzi, A. S. (2024). IMPACT OF INTEL-LECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS ON INFORMATION SECURITY. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(8), 6303. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i8.6303.
    40. Etemad-Sajadi, R., Way, S. A., and Bohrer, L. (2016). Airline passenger loyalty: The distinct effects of airline passenger perceived pre-flight and in-flight service quality. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 57(2), 219-225. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965516630622.
    41. Gambo, Musa Kasuwar Kuka. "Service quality and customer satisfaction among domestic air passengers in Nigeria." International journal of busi-ness and management studies 8.2 (2016): 32-49.
    42. Gupta, Himanshu. "Evaluating service quality of the airline industry using the hybrid best-worst method and VIKOR." Journal of Air Transport Management 68 (2018): 35-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2017.06.001.
    43. Gures, Nuriye, Seda Arslan, and Sevil Yucel Tun. "Customer expectation, satisfaction, and loyalty relationship in the Turkish airline industry." In-ternational Journal of Marketing Studies 6.1 (2014): 66. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v6n1p66.
    44. Hahn, A., Singh, R., Liu, C. C., and Chen, S. (2017, April). Brilliant contract-based campus demonstration of decentralized transactive energy auc-tions. In 2017, IEEE Power & Energy Society Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT) (pp. 1-5). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISGT.2017.8086092.
    45. Hahn, Adam, et al. "Smart contract-based campus demonstration of decentralized transactive energy auctions." 2017 IEEE Power & Energy Socie-ty Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT) IEEE, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISGT.2017.8086092.
    46. Hapsari, Raditha, Michael D. Clemes, and David Dean. "The impact of service quality, customer engagement, and selected marketing constructs on airline passenger loyalty." International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences (2017). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQSS-07-2016-0048.
    47. Ibrahim, E., Sharif, H., & Aboelazm, K. S. (2025). Electronic Fraud in the United Arab Emirates Legislation. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Re-view, 5(2), https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v5.n02.pe04040.
    48. Ibrahim, E., Sharif, H., & Aboelazm, K. S. (2025). Legal Confrontation of the Cyber Blackmail: a Comparative Study. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 5(2), e04039-e04039. https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v5.n02.pe04039.
    49. Khudhair, H. Y., & Mardani, A. (2021). The Major Issues Facing Staff in the Islamic Banking Industry. International Journal of Economics and Management Systems, 6.
    50. Khudhair, H. Y., Jusoh, A., Mardani, A., & Nor, K. M. (2019). A conceptual model of customer satisfaction: Moderating effects of price sensitivity and quality seekers in the airline industry. Contemporary Economics, 13(3), 283.
    51. Khudhair, H. Y., Jusoh, A., Mardani, A., Nor, K. M., & Streimikiene, D. (2019). Review of scoping studies on service quality, customer satisfac-tion, and customer loyalty in the airline industry. Contemporary Economics, 375-386.
    52. Khudhair, H. Y., Jusoh, A., Nor, K. M., & Mardani, A. (2021). Price sensitivity as a moderating factor between the effects of airline service quality and passenger satisfaction on passenger loyalty in the airline industry. International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 11(2-3), 114-125. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBCRM.2021.116274.
    53. Khudhair, Harith Yas, et al. "Quality Seekers as Moderating Effects between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in the Airline Industry." International Review of Management and Marketing 9.4 (2019): 74. https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.8144.
    54. Kirmani, A., and Rao, A. R. (2000). No pain, no gain: A critical review of the literature on signaling unobservable product quality. Journal of Mar-keting, 64(2), 66-79. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.64.2.66.18000.
    55. Kirmani, Amna, and Akshay R. Rao. "No pain, no gain: A critical review of the literature on signaling unobservable product quality." Journal of Marketing 64.2 (2000): 66-79. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.64.2.66.18000.
    56. Leninkumar, V. (2019). Antecedents of customer satisfaction. Archives of business research, 7(6), 62-76.
    57. Leninkumar, V. (2019). Customer Perceptions of Service Quality in the Banking Sector. Archives of Business Research, 7(8).
    58. Min, Hokey, and Hyesung Min. "Benchmarking the service quality of airlines in the United States: an exploratory analysis." Benchmarking: an In-ternational Journal (2015). https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-03-2013-0029.
    59. Monarda, T., O. Usman, and T. Tausyanah. "The implication of AIRQUAL and brand credibility on passengers' satisfaction in the airline industry." Management Science Letters 10.15 (2020): 3655-3662. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.6.028.
    60. Munoz, C., Laniado, H., and Córdoba, J. (2019). Modeling air travelers’ experience based on service quality stages related to airlines and airports. Modern Applied Science, 13(11), 37-53. https://doi.org/10.5539/mas.v13n11p37.
    61. Namukasa, Juliet. "The influence of airline service quality on passenger satisfaction and loyalty: The case of Uganda airline industry." The TQM Journal (2013). https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2012-0092.
    62. Newton, J., and Kusmierczyk, E. (2011). Teaching second languages for the workplace, 175, 135-148.
    63. Parasuraman, A., and Grewal, D. (2000). The impact of technology on the quality-value-loyalty chain: a research agenda. Journal of the academy of marketing science, 28(1), 168- https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070300281015.
    64. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research. Journal of Marketing, [online] 49(4), pp.41–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251430.
    65. Park, Eunil, et al. "Determinants of customer satisfaction with airline services: An analysis of customer feedback big data." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 51 (2019): 186-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.06.009.
    66. Rahim, A. Ganiyu. "Perceived service quality and customer loyalty: The mediating effect of passenger satisfaction in the Nigerian Airline Industry." International journal of management and economics 52.1 (2016): 94-117. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijme-2016-0029.
    67. Rosen, C. (2019). Our Pets, Ourselves. The Hedgehog Review, 21(1), 42-52.
    68. Saeed, M. D., & Khudhair, H. Y. (2024). MANAGING COMPLEXITY AND STAKEHOLDER DYNAMICS IN LARGE-SCALE INFRA-STRUCTURE PROJECT, International Journal on Technical and Physical Problems of Engineering, 16(1), pp. 265–276.
    69. Shwedeh, F., Yas, N., & Abdijabar, Z. (2024). The impact of intellectual property rights and the level of information sensitivity on information se-curity in the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(8), 6303. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i8.6303.
    70. Şimşek, Kübra, and Orkun Demirbağ. "Modeling service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in the airline industry: A SEM approach." The Journal of International Scientific Research 2.6 (2017): 11-29. https://doi.org/10.23834/isrjournal.341694.
    71. Tanomsin, Peeticha, and Chenin Chen. "Factors affecting customer satisfaction and loyalty towards low-cost airlines in Thailand." International Journal of Accounting, Finance and Business 3.7 (2018): 104-114.
    72. Wilson, Nicholas. "The impact of service quality and brand image on customer loyalty in the Indonesian airline industry." Jurnal Manajemen Indo-nesia 18.3 (2018): 222-234.
    73. Yas, H., Aburayya, A., & Shwedeh, F. (2024). Education Quality and Standards in the Public School and the Private School: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia. In Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Power and Dangers of ChatGPT in the Classroom (pp. 563-572). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52280-2_35.
    74. Yas, H., Alkaabi, A., ALBaloushi, N. A., Al Adeedi, A., & Streimikiene, D. (2023). The impact of strategic leadership practices and knowledge sharing on employees’ performance. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 27. https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2023.27.1.20.
    75. Yas, H., Dafri, W., Sarhan, M. I., Albayati, Y., & Shwedeh, F. (2024). Universities' Faculty Perception of E-learning Tools: Filling the Gaps for Enhanced Effectiveness. In Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Power and Dangers of ChatGPT in the Classroom (pp. 573-588). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52280-2_36.
    76. Yas, H., Jusoh, A., Nor, K.M., Jovovic, N., Delibasic, M. (2022). IMPACT OF AIRLINE SERVICE QUALITY ON PASSENGER SATISFAC-TION AND LOYALTY: MODERATING INFLUENCE OF PRICE SENSITIVITY AND QUALITY SEEKERS | ORO LINIJŲ PASLAUGŲ KOKYBĖS SVARBA KELEIVIŲ PASITENKINIMUI IR LOJALUMUI: JAUTRUMO KAINAI IR KOKYBĖS SIEKIANČIŲJŲ ĮTAKA, 21(3), pp. 120–150.
    77. Yas, H., Jusoh, A., Streimikiene, D., Mardani, A., Nor, K. M., Alatawi, A., & Umarlebbe, J. H. (2021). The negative role of social media during the COVID-19 outbreak. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 16(2), 219-228. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.160202.
    78. Yas, H., Mardani, A., & Alfarttoosi, A. (2020). The major issues facing staff in the Islamic banking industry and their impact on productivity. Con-temporary Economics, 14(3), 392. https://doi.org/10.5709/ce.1897-9254.412.
    79. Yas, H., Mardani, A., Albayati, Y. K., Lootah, S. E., & Streimikiene, D. (2020). The positive role of the tourism industry in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Contemporary Economics, 14(4), 601.
    80. Yas, N., Dafri, W., Yas, H., & Shwedeh, F. (2024). Effect of e-Learning on Servicing Education in Dubai. In Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Power and Dangers of ChatGPT in the Classroom (pp. 623-639). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52280-2_40.
    81. Yas, N., Salem, O., AlLouzi, A. S., Abdalaziz, M. M. O., Marks, A., & Al-Jumaili, A. (2025). Civil liability and misuse of electronic communication means via websites: An analytical study in light of the law and policies of the United Arab Emirates. Humanities, 6(1).
  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Yas , H. ., & Jusoh , A. . (2025). Airline Service Quality: A Revisited Concept‎. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(4), 810-817. https://doi.org/10.14419/nczt3a62