Passenger profile and its effects on satisfaction level in food and beverage establishments: Case study of major Brazilian airports

Abstract

Non-aeronautical revenues are becoming essential source in the financial health of airports, especially in the context of airport privatization through which the main Brazilian airports have been. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Customer Experience (CX) in the commercial areas of the 20 main Brazilian airports, using a broad database from the Permanent Passenger Satisfaction Survey, conducted by SAC (from 2016 to 2018). This paper joins other recent work that has attempted to fill a gap in the academic literature, where the topic of customer experience in commercial activities, has not yet been extensively explored. To analyze passenger satisfaction at Brazilian airports, a logit discrete choice model is used. The key findings were the identification of variables (such as nationality, type of flight, frequency, whether the passenger was accompanied or not, whether it was in connection, airline, and gender), which affect passenger perception regarding food and beverage services. It was observed that passengers traveling alone are more satisfied with cafeterias and restaurants, while frequent passengers at airports have a worse degree of satisfaction with commercial services.