PASSENGER SATISFACTION WITH AIRPORT SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE POST-COVID ERA: THE ROLE OF SST ATTRIBUTES AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Self-service technologies (SSTs) have become an integral part of modern air travel, from mobile check-in and kiosks to self-bag-drop and automated e-gates. Initially introduced to save time and ease congestion, these systems gained new relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when passengers began valuing them not only for convenience but also for hygiene and safety. In today‘s post-pandemic travel environment, expectations of SSTs extend beyond efficiency to include cleanliness, user-friendliness, and even sustainability. This study examines how various SST attributes influence passenger satisfaction, applying the established SSTQUAL framework (Lin & Hsieh, 2011) and extending it with three additional dimensions: post-pandemic perception, cleanliness and sanitization, and sustainability awareness. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 201 passengers, of whom 161 passengers had prior experience of using SSTs, and data were analyzed using statistical techniques including correlation, regression, and group comparisons. The findings reveal that enjoyment, customization, and post-pandemic perceptions are the strongest drivers of satisfaction. Core attributes such as functionality, convenience, and assurance remain important but less dominant, while cleanliness is viewed more as a basic expectation than a satisfaction booster. Sustainability, although only moderately influential, emerged as a promising factor, with many passengers supporting environmentally friendly travel practices and responding positively when SSTs were framed as ―green‖ alternatives. Notably, satisfaction with SSTs was strongly correlated with satisfaction with the airport, highlighting their central role in shaping passengers‘ perception of airports. The results suggest that airports must go beyond technical reliability by prioritizing intuitive design, visible hygiene measures, and clearer communication of environmental benefits. In doing so, airports can not only meet evolving passenger expectations but also strengthen loyalty and competitiveness in a highly dynamic aviation sector. Moreover, the findings assure that airports and airlines may confidently transition toward more automated and digitalized passenger services, and that SST adoption should be formally integrated within post-COVID passenger experience frameworks to ensure cohesive, technology-driven, and sustainable service delivery.

Keywords: Self-service technologies (SSTs), SSTQUAL framework, Post-COVID travel, Passenger satisfaction, Sustainability awareness, Contactless travel

목차 (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 12
• 1.1 Background 12
• 1.2 Research Objectives 14
• 1.3 Research Scope 14
• CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW & RESEARCH MODEL 16
• 2.1 Literature Review 16
• 2.1.1 Background 16
• 2.1.2 Self-Service Technologies 16
• 2.1.3 Theoretical Framework 18
• 2.2 Research Model and Hypotheses 20
• 2.2.1 Research Model 20
• 2.2.2 Hypotheses 20
• CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 27
• 3.1 Questionnaire Design 27
• 3.2 Pilot Test 28
• 3.2.1 Purpose of the Pilot Study 28
• 3.2.2 Pilot Test Procedure 29
• 3.2.3 Reliability Analysis 29
• 3.2.4 Normality Check 29
• 3.2.5 Multicollinearity Diagnosis 29
• 3.2.6 Regression Analysis and Model Testing 30
• 3.2.7 Power Analysis and Sample Size Determination 30
• 3.2.8 Summary and Adjustments 30
• 3.3 Study Population and Sampling 30
• 3.4 Data Collection Method and Data Analysis 31
• 3.4.1 Data Collection Method 31
• 3.4.2 Data Analysis 32
• CHAPTER 4: STATISTICAL ANALYSES 33
• 4.1 Hypothesis Testing 33
• 4.2 Normality Test 33
• 4.3 Exploratory Factor Analysis 34
• 4.4 Reliability Test 34
• 4.5 (A) Independent Samples t-Test 34
• 4.5 (B) Mann-Whitney U Test 34
• 4.6 (A) One-Way ANOVA 35
• 4.6 (B) Kruskal-Wallis H Test 35
• 4.7 (A) Pearson Correlation 35
• 4.7 (B) Spearman‘s Rank Correlation 35
• 4.8 Regression Analysis 36
• 4.9 Power Analysis 36
• CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 38
• 5.1 Exploratory Factor Analysis 38
• 5.2 Reliability Analysis 40
• 5.3 Normality Test 41
• 5.4 Demographic Information of the Sample 42
• 5.5 Comparative Tests 43
• 5.5.1 Comparison of Satisfaction by Gender 43
• 5.5.2 Comparison of Satisfaction by Age Groups 44
• 5.5.3 Comparison of Satisfaction by Education Groups 45
• 5.5.4 Comparison of Satisfaction by Flight Frequency 45
• 5.5.5 Comparison of Satisfaction by Prior SST Use Frequency 46
• 5.6 Correlation Analysis 48
• 5.7 Multicollinearity Test 51
• 5.8 Regression Analysis 52
• 5.9 Hypothesis Testing Outcomes 55
• 5.10 Comparison with Pre-COVID Literature 56
• 5.11 Additional Insights on Passenger Perception of SSTs 57
• 5.12 Open-Ended Responses on SST Improvement 61
• CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE 64
• 6.1 Conclusion 64
• 6.2 Limitations and Future Scope 65
• 6.3 Practical Implications 66
• REFERENCES 68
• APPENDICES 73