Time to evaluate service quality indicators for delivering service excellence at airports: Case of India

Abstract

Due to competitive dynamics and a renewed emphasis on service experience, coupled with evolving passenger needs and preferences for world-class airport experiences, airport management is increasingly tasked with prioritizing airport service quality. The involvement of private parties and other stakeholders at Indian airports has led to structural and ownership changes, making service excellence a major differentiating factor for airlines and customers, elevating industry standards to new heights. In the current landscape, airport operators are placing greater focus on airport service quality to understand how to enhance customer service experience and improve airport business performance. Thus, this study aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of airport service quality parameters and the ranking of airports. The research proposes an integrated approach using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and Vlsekriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) to benchmark Indian airports. This work is beneficial for airport and airline operators, as well as other stakeholders, to identify areas of focus such as customer touchpoints, customer service expectations, and airports’ key selling points by evaluating airport service quality parameters. Subsequently, the proposed model is tested for its robustness to ensure its effectiveness in providing actionable insights for improving airport service quality.