A multidimensional QFD design for the service quality assessment of Kansai International Airport, Japan

Abstract

This paper investigates multi-agent service quality problems in the area of airport management and proposes the use of the multilayer quality function deployment (QFD) model to compromise the requirements of both airline companies (carriers) and passengers to ensure generality and sustainability of quality implementation. In air transportation, customers and service providers engage each other as a result of the complex supplier–customer structure. An airport provides services simultaneously in a nested framework for both airline companies and passengers. On the other hand, airline companies serve the passengers from their own specific perspective. Therefore, airports deal with the satisfaction of airline companies and passengers, while airline companies distinctly deal with the satisfaction of passengers. The satisfaction of passengers in terms of airport services is derived form of the airline company’s distinct position on service quality. The conventional QFD method is limited to compromise the multilayer customer phenomenon and the multilayer QFD model is capable of analysing the requirements of all agents in order to find appropriate solutions.