Evaluating Domestic Passenger Satisfaction with In-Flight Catering Services

Abstract

In-flight catering services are an essential part of the passengers' experience during travel. However, existing literature reveals that in-flight catering services have changed from time to time due to the increasing number of options, menu dishes, and new preparation methods and materials. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to examine the factors that affect passengers' satisfaction with in-flight catering services. Hence, the data were collected through an online survey among airline passengers using a snowball sampling method. The snowball sampling method was chosen for its ability to reach a diverse range of participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. Descriptive analyses and correlation analyses were used for the empirical study. Results revealed that environmentally friendly food packaging has the highest mean among the three variables: packaging, menu choices, and food quality. This proves that environmentally friendly food packaging is the most prevalent factor in passengers’ satisfaction with in-flight catering services. The result showed that three factors, packaging, menu choices, and food quality, made a unique and statistically significant contribution to the passengers' satisfaction. From these three factors, we would like to identify which factor most influences passengers' satisfaction with in-flight catering services.