Examining the Role of Customer Satisfaction and Brand Image as Mediators Between Service Quality and Repurchase Intent with Reference to India’s International Airlines

Abstract

Purpose: The study's overarching goal is to use findings on the associations between airline passengers’ perceptions of service quality, brand image, and customer satisfaction to forecast whether or not those customers would return for future flights. Theoretical framework: Maintaining service quality is critical for customer retention in the aviation industry since customers have high expectations for exceptional service. Thus, the fundamental significance of service quality lays the foundation for developing a theoretical framework in this study. Method: The hypothesis was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) on a convenience sample of 423 respondents who travelled on India’s International Airlines (IIA), and the data were examined using statistical software packages such as Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive research is suggested as the approach of choice. Results and conclusion: The results indicate that service quality has a strong positive effect on repurchase intention, as well as mediated by customer satisfaction. Research implications: The research findings have several implications for the aviation industry, emphasising the significance of incorporating service quality guidelines into the training of airline staff. This approach can enhance customer satisfaction; thereby instilling the customer's repurchase intent. Originality/value: The study presents a unique and original contribution to the existing research literature. The results are particularly valuable as they explore a combination of variables that have not been previously investigated in the aviation industry with such precision.