DETERMINANTS OF PASSENGER SATISFACTION: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE GOAN MARKET
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Date
2026
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Vidyabharati International Interdisciplinary Research Journal
Abstract
In the modern aviation landscape, service quality has transitioned from a competitive advantage to a strategic necessity. This study investigates the determinants of passenger satisfaction within the Goan aviation market, focusing on travelers at Dabolim and Manohar International Airports. Utilizing a descriptive research design and a quantitative approach, data was collected from 308 respondents using convenience and snowball sampling. The research evaluates key service dimensions, including pre-flight operations, in-flight safety, and staff professionalism, through the lens of the SERVQUAL and Expectancy-Disconfirmation models. Statistical analysis, including Mean scores and Chi-Square testing, revealed a high aggregate satisfaction across all studied variables. In-flight safety emerged as the highest-performing dimension (Mean = 3.98), followed by staff behavior and communication (Mean = 3.84). The results indicate that while price is a significant factor for approximately 20.78% of travelers, the majority prioritize service excellence and reliability. All null hypotheses were rejected (p < 0.001), confirming that service quality dimensions have a statistically significant impact on passenger contentment. The findings suggest that airlines must bridge the "satisfaction gap" by maintaining consistent service standards to foster long-term loyalty in a hyper-competitive environment.