ABSTRACT Understanding the discrepancy between passenger expectations and airline offerings is critical for improving service quality and customer satisfaction. This study expands the current knowledge regarding airline service quality dimensions by investigating actual passenger experiences. Analyzing 1,389,689 online reviews from TripAdvisor.com, structural topic modeling identified 29 airline service quality factors. Drawing upon AIRQUAL and SERVQUAL as theoretical frameworks, five unique dimensions emerged: flight attendance service, flight schedule, in-flight entertainment, in-flight meal, and baggage. Moreover, regression analysis highlights the significance of flight attendant services and hidden critical factors, such as attention to child passengers and special requests, in enhancing customer satisfaction. This study provides theoretical implications by uncovering airline service quality factors recognized by passengers and suggesting five potential service quality dimensions suitable for the airline context. Practically, the current study guides airline managers in understanding a passenger viewpoint and avoiding the service gap by combining machine learning, econometric approaches, and existing theories.
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